The Mechanical Baby: The Sequel

About this time last year, I found myself chronicling a nightmarish 48 hours of pseudo-grandparenthood as I watched from the sidelines while my teenage son "parented" a mechanical devil-child for two days as part of his health class.  I cringed. I laughed (behind closed doors). I cursed at the ungodly hours this mechanical infant chose to wail. I watched my teenager come to the realization that babies are all-consuming and that parenting them is a 24 hour job.  He was annoyed, tired, and cranky (typical parent of a newborn). He already knew quite well that he was not prepared to be a parent.  The experience provided confirmation that he needs at least another decade or two to grow up before reproducing. 

Round two is upon us, and my daughter is on the schedule to bring her robotic bundle of joy home next week.  She is as nurturing as they come.  She is also whip smart and has a caustic sense of humor.  She has already written the post-parenting self evaluation which she will turn into her health teacher after completing this little experiment in parenting. 

This was an amazing experience.  I am in LOVE.  Thank you for inspiring me to be a teen mom.  Although I have yet to really have a boyfriend, even a weird pseudo-Facebook boyfriend, you have inspired me to get out there and find a baby daddy.  This experience really helped clarify my dreams and convinced me that it is never too soon to begin the magical journey of parenthood.  For that I am grateful.

In fact, her evil plan is to find an already (but unannounced) pregnant teen at her school and have her write this evaluation.  In a few months, when the teen mom is visibly expecting, she anticipates the mechanical baby program will silently disappear. I just LOVE this girl.

In the meantime, I'll buy earplugs and brace myself for Round 2 of premature grandparenthood and thank my lucky stars that I am parenting a sarcastic, irreverent responsible teenager.