SOCK BABY PROJECT

FINAL REPORT DUE: Friday, 3/29*

*Before Spring Break

OVERVIEW
CONGRATULATIONS! You are a new parent! You will be totally responsible for the care of your baby as it
goes through the stages of development from ages 0-18. You can choose how you will raise your child and
follow through the various development stages from Piaget, Freud, Kohlberg, and Erikson as well as attachment
theories (Harlow & Ainsworth) and parenting styles. You must parent for 24 hours a day for 7 days.

You must care for your baby as if it were your real child. YOU MAY NOT LEAVE YOUR BABY IN YOUR
LOCKER, CAR, OR HOME ALONE - that’s neglect! When you leave your house, you must either take your
baby with you or find a qualified babysitter to care for it temporarily. The dog, cat, bird, baby sister, etc. are
NOT qualified babysitters. IT COMES TO SCHOOL WITH YOU. You must have the baby in its carrier or
out in the open - it may not be stored in a backpack. If you have a sitter while you work, you better write that
down and how much you would pay a sitter per hour for babysitting. Do not get caught without your baby!!!
Once the project is complete, you may keep your baby forever since you have become a bonded pair!

REQUIREMENTS:
● You are totally responsible for the care of your baby for the duration of this experiment. You must
parent the baby 24 hours a day for the duration of this unit. You can keep your babies forever though,
since you have become a bonded pair.
● You must care for the baby as if it were your real child. You may not leave it in your locker, car, or
home alone. When you leave your house in the evening, you must either take the baby with you or find a
qualified babysitter to care for it. The dog, cat or bird is not a qualified sitter.
Automatic F if you are found without your baby. Your baby must be within VIEW at ALL times. Your
baby can NOT be left unattended. Babies are to be treated properly or you may have points deducted if
you are reported for being neglectful or harmful towards your baby.
● You must have the baby out in the open—If you carry it in your backpack, the head MUST be visible
(think like a baby carrier). You should never go anywhere without your baby, leave your baby in the
care of anyone else undocumented, or let anyone abuse or neglect your child. A real parent must take
their child everywhere and so should you.
● Your baby will NAP during other class periods. You may keep your baby on a blanket on the floor
next to your desk or appropriately in your backpack with its head out as a baby carrier/holder. You are
NOT to play with your baby during another teacher’s class. If a teacher informs me that you are
distracted, or disruptive, you WILL lose points. However, if another teacher informs you that your child
needs attention, you must stop what you’re doing and pick up the baby and hold it while you work.
 ● Your baby must attend class with you each day. Baby attendance is taken each day in Psychology and
all baby absences will be recorded. Some random teachers will also be doing checks to see if the baby is
being properly cared for.
● You should be extremely protective of your child. If a tragic loss or injury occurs, you will be
responsible for clean-up (NOT the custodians.), report the issue to Ms. Adams immediately for
documentation and negotiation of the penalty. Penalties range from additional research to a report on
child abuse. If someone else attacks your child, find a teacher as a witness to spare you some penalty.
The intentional destruction of your or another person’s sock baby will result in
disciplinary action.

ATTENDANCE:
Your baby must attend class with you each day. Attendance will be taken each day and all absences will be
noted. If you miss class, you must bring your baby by at some point during the school day in order to get the
points for that day OR send me sufficient evidence of your baby’s well-being (with timestamp) via email.

Attendance and care points are awarded each day in class according to the following standards:
 Your baby arrives safely to the Psych classroom and is present when baby attendance is taken. (The
baby must be yours... no kidnapping!)
 Each day I will check that you have your sock baby and that it is healthy.
 The baby is properly taken care of during class.
 Participation in Parent Support Group with other members of class for first 15 minutes each day.
 Total point value for bringing the baby to class and caring for it for the day. Unexcused absences will
have the points taken away for that day.
 If you are discovered to have deserted your baby or left it unattended (by a teacher or school employee),
without the care of a qualified babysitter, you will lose your points for the day.

CHILDCARE
● While it is understandable that you won’t be able to “parent” your baby at all times, it is expected that
you make a concerted effort to spend as much time as possible with your baby. If you are at work, an
activity, etc., you are expected to make arrangements to keep your baby with you whenever possible.
● For the safety of the baby, you may consider a babysitter for a brief period of time. HOWEVER, if you
need to have a babysitter, it CAN NOT be for more than 3 hours at a time outside of school unless work
is documented to be longer and NO MORE than 1 period during school. You can only get a babysitter
10 times during the week.
● So, what is your childcare plan? How much do people typically pay a babysitter in 2023? Did you ever
leave your baby during this project? Why? Who watched the baby? How much did you pay them to
watch the baby? Note sitting times in daily logs and include research on how you determined the paying
rate.
● If I see you in the hallway, I should see you with your baby. Other teachers are aware of the project and
will let me know if you have neglected to care for your baby. Parenting neglect will result in a 2 point
deduction for each occurrence.

SUBMISSION:
 You will be responsible for your baby for a full week (7 days – Start Date: Monday, 3/18/24 to End
Date: Tuesday, 3/26/24)
 NAME: _________________

PROOF OF ATTENDANCE
 Each required day you must get proof from me of your baby’s attendance via my
unique signature.
o IF ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, YOU MUST SEND ME PROOF OF LIFE
(INCLUDE TIME IN PHOTO) VIA EMAIL OR STOP IN BEFORE 3PM
IN ORDER TO GET ATTENDANCE CREDIT.
 Detach this sheet and turn in on the due date along with your written portion.
 Must Upload picture for Proof of Life on Google Classroom on Saturday &
Sunday (no late submissions as I will assume your baby didn’t make it)
(5 points/day)

Day Teacher Signature

1 – Tuesday
3/19/24

2 -- Wednesday
3/20/24

3 – Thursday
3/21/24

4 – Friday
3/22/24

5 – Saturday
3/23/24
(send proof of
life on GC)

6 – Sunday
3/24/24
(send proof of
life on GC)

7 – Monday
3/25/24