"GGS Lensahn's 'Probationary Parent Training' Program"
At the Lensahn Primary and Comprehensive School, students aged 13 and above recently participated in a unique educational experience: a "Parents for a Day" course. The event, which took place at the school, aimed to foster a sense of responsibility and empathy towards parenthood.
During the course, students were introduced to various topics, including contraception, bodily changes, unwanted pregnancies, and alcohol and drug consumption during pregnancy. To simulate the real-life challenges of parenthood, the students cared for a baby simulator throughout a 24-hour period.
The baby simulator was with the students at all times, including nighttime, leading to drastic changes in their lives. Many students found themselves woken up at night to feed, change, and rock the simulator, giving up weekly sports units or meeting with friends to manage their newfound responsibilities.
The course was led by Daniela le Grand, an educator and art therapist. Daniela stated that the students made varying experiences during the course and grew with their task. Support for the course was provided by the Oldenburg Family Center of the Children's Protection Association and the Pregnancy Conflict Counseling of the Ostholstein district.
According to Daniela, the desire for children is not the highest priority among the students today. However, the students expressed a desire for less responsibility and more relaxation and leisure time. The care level for the baby simulator could be chosen from easy, medium, and hard, allowing students to experience the challenges at different intensities.
The project was funded equally by the Ostholstein district and the support association of the Lensahn Primary and Comprehensive School. Daniela le Grand expressed her satisfaction with the course, stating that the students grew with their task and that the course had a positive impact on their understanding of parenthood.
While specific details on the impact of the Lensahn Primary and Comprehensive School's "Parents for a Day" course are not widely available, such programs are known to develop empathy and understanding about parenting challenges and often influence young people’s attitudes towards family life and responsibility. These programs aim to foster more informed views on parenthood, preparing young people for the realities of parenthood in the future.
- The "Parents for a Day" course at Lensahn Primary and Comprehensive School, focusing on education-and-self-development and personal-growth, exposed students to various topics such as responsible parenthood and learning about the challenges it presents.
- Through their experience with a baby simulator, students gained a deeper understanding of parenthood and its impact on their own lives, as they juggled their responsibilities with their previous leisure activities, illustrating the significance of learning and personal growth in this area.
