"Reality Babies" change teens' perspectives

PHILADELPHIA - It's 2 a.m. and somewhere in Philadelphia, a young teenage girl wearily makes her way toward the next room where her baby is crying. After feeding and rocking it back to sleep, she heads back to bed, only to be woken up an hour later; this time to change a diaper.

This is not your ordinary child. It is a computer-programmed infant called a "Reality Baby," and part of a new program for teens at Bethel Deliverance International Church, an Operation Blessing-supported outreach center in Philadelphia.

Twenty students, ages 13 to 17, take part in this 6-week intensive curriculum that teaches on topics such as budgeting, personal values, unplanned pregnancies and peer pressure.

The class culminates with a 4-day simulation experience where the students are tested on how well they parent their "infants."

"I program their schedules to be hard," said Bisea Pratt, a registered nurse and Reality Baby instructor with Bethel Deliverance.

"They are up every hour on the hour and have to keep a log of what they do with the baby."

The goal of the program is not only to educate teens, but also to deter them from sexual activity and unplanned pregnancies.

"The simulation really gives them a good view of the limitations that having a child at an early age puts on your life," said Stephanie DaCosta, outreach director for Bethel's community programs.

Prior to Bethel Deliverance starting classes in January, the program was only offered at schools in more affluent areas, DaCosta said.

"You would not see this type of thing in an ordinary urban community."

Operation Blessing is currently strategizing with the church to help expand their program to a community-outreach level this year, and plans to fund the next set of Reality Babies.

"This is something that needs to be addressed," DaCosta said. And most everyone agrees - even if it means keeping parents, teens and the staff of Bethel Deliverance up all night.

"Families are very involved with the program," Pratt said. "Parents go to the classes with their teens, go through the simulation with them, and then call me at midnight saying, 'this baby is broke.' But they aren't," she said with a laugh.

OBI financially supports other family based educational programs such as "Baby Bucks" in Murray, KY, and "Earn While You Learn," a rewards-based program in Fayetteville, NC, where new single parents receive vouchers to purchase items for their babies after successfully completing parenting and other life education courses.