Monthly Paycheck: 1,700$ (Poverty Line)

Child Support: 430$ (Average monthly child support in U.S.)

On the chart below, each ‘parent’ can find a list of monthly expenses. Each parent
should guess the cost of each item, and invest however much money they feel
necessary. When each parent has completed this, the teacher shall announce the real
costs of each item, which will be on the teacher’s instruction guide. The parents are free
to name their baby and choose its gender, for it is theirs to care for!

Baby’s gender:____________________
Baby’s name:__________________

Monthly Expenses Money Invested

Diapers

Entertainment (Gym
Membership, Eating Out,
Cable, Netflix, etc.)

Utilities

Car Payment/ Insurance

House Payment (Rent)

Savings

Daycare

Monthly Groceries

Gas

Debt (List how much debt

you go into over the course
of the game.)
 Teacher Instruction Guide

Each parent will guess the cost of each monthly expense. After they have done this, you
will announce the true cost of each expense. If they have spent too much on one item,
then the money will go into a different expense, or into savings. If they have spent too
little on one expense, they must rely on their child support or savings to make up for
what is lost. There will be 8 weeks, with one turn per week. It is optional to stop at four
weeks. After four weeks, the budget resets, and extra money goes into savings.
The list of true cost of monthly expenses is as follows:
● Diapers, $50/ two weeks
● Entertainment, $75 *
● Utilities, $70
● Car Payment/ Insurance, $250 for payment, $100 for insurance
● Monthly Rent, $850
● Daycare, $600/month
● Monthly Groceries, $600
● Gas, $70

Now, you will notice that the total cost of all of these things is $2,715, and with child
care and a monthly paycheck, each parent only has $2,130, and will be $585 in debt
after one months expenses. This is the life of an adolescent single parent. Throughout
the four weeks, each parent will be pressured to maneuver the finances to cope with
day to day life. In the real world, single adolescent parents receive government
assistance to help them scrape by, and this can be explained to students at the end of
the game. Each turn begins with a positive and a negative. ‘Parents’ will pick between
four colors (Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow), and depending on the color they choose,
they may receive aid, or misfortune. Once each parent has picked a color, you may
begin. Ensure that each parent uses a pencil, as each week will bring new financial
circumstances in terms of debt and savings. At the end of each week, each parent will
be in some sort of debt, and that is what the ‘debt’ row on the student page is for. As
each parent enters debt, she will put the money she owes in the ‘debt’ row. From that
row she may add or subtract depending on changes in financial situation. The weeks
and their events are listed on the following page.

*This is the cost of Netflix, and a gym membership.

Week 1​: Uh oh, your tire was shredded on your way home from work! It is 60$ to call a
tow truck to get home, and another $60 to replace the tire. If you picked Blue,
congratulations, your boss gave you a Christmas bonus for $100!!

Week 2: ​You dropped your cell phone and need to replace the screen, spend 100$. If
you picked Green, I guess it’s your lucky day after all! Dad offered to pay for the tire,
and gave you a little extra for your troubles. Earn $100.

Week 3: ​Uh oh, your baby is sick!! Spend $25 to buy them some medicine, poor little
thing! If you picked Red, congrats!! Grandma wants to take your darling little baby once
a week. You just saved $120.

Week 4: ​Listen up all you single parents, the hot guy/girl at work that you’ve been flirting
with has asked you on a date! In order to go on this date you need to spend $30 for a
night time babysitter.

All parents reset budget for the month.

Week 5: ​It’s a lucky day for all parents. You have all been deemed eligible to receive
food stamps. Knock $250 off of your grocery budget for the month.

Week 6: ​If you picked Blue, unfortunately your baby’s car seat broke. Spend $100 to
buy a new one! If you picked Yellow, sweet! You worked overtime and got an extra $75.

Week 7: ​If you picked Green or Yellow, congrats, it’s your baby’s birthday and you got a
whole bunch of free diapers! Save $50 for the month. If you picked Red or Green, uh
oh, time for an oil change, spend $30.

Week 8: ​Oh no, one of your brake pads is out in your car. You have two options: Pay
$150 for the axle that needs new pads, or replace them both right now rather than wait.
All colors, congrats you got a raise, everyone gets $100 added to their budget.