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The Baby-Think-It-Over program is designed as an aid for educators and other professionals to help young people make responsible, informed decisions about parenting. While the teen pregnancy rates have dropped in Madison County over the last few years, the concerns are still there and must be addressed. This program is not intended to promote abortion or to pressure pregnant teens into adoption instead of self-parenting. The program explores the consequences of parenting. It is intended to help young people understand 3 important facts about infants: 1) their demands are unpredictable and must be met promptly; 2) they require a great deal of time and attention; and 3) the responsibilities will profoundly change one’s lifestyle.
Baby-Think-It-Over has received tremendous media response through the years and won several awards. It includes a lifelike doll with a simulator that has random, unpredictable crying intervals just like real infants. It requires care for five to thirty-five minutes, thus placing realistic time demands upon the teen. The computerized monitoring shows signs of neglect and rough handling to report back how well the teen cared for it.
The Madison County Health Department has 6 dolls available for loan. Anyone interested should contact: Karen Finnigan, Health Educator at 641-9523 or kfinnigan@madisoncty.com. Thank you!
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