"It's a Boy"
When my child-development teacher handed over the 10-pound bundle, she remarked, "Congratulations, you have a new baby boy!"
The "Think-It-Over" baby was given to each student in my high school child-development class last year so that they might get a taste of fatherhood. In my mind, I was not ready to be a father as a senior in high school. I still recall the days when my siblings were small and I had to constantly watch over them. At the very least, there were no soiled diapers on the doll for me to clean.
When it was my turn to take the 10-pound plastic doll home, it was a Friday night. As far as I could tell, the doll looked like a genuine infant. Even the baby powder fragrance was wonderful. My friends and I were going out that night, so once I got the baby home in his car seat, I changed him into some extremely nice clothes. After that, Tyler became his middle name.
A computer within the doll's body was programmed to cry out at regular intervals. Because I owned the key, I was the only one who could put an end to the wailing. To stop the doll from crying, I could use the key that was linked to my wrist. Everything seems to be going smoothly so far. Yet, the doll remained silent.
My friends showed up, and we crammed into the car like it was nothing. Because we also had the baby's car seat in the room, it was a little crammed. Due to the computer in the doll, I had to treat it like a real baby, and I had to make sure I didn't shake it too much. We arrived at the restaurant after an hour-long drive. Because it was chilly, I decided to carry Tyler while he was wrapped in a blanket. Along with a baby's necessities, I also had my diaper bag with a bottle, diapers, and spare clothing.
There were a lot of people trying to obtain a table because it was Friday night. There were many raised eyes when I walked through the busy doorway. After noticing the looks and glares from my buddies, we came up with an idea to turn the situation into a joke. I pretended to rock Tyler to sleep from my perch in the corner. My pals would occasionally peek in the blanket and exclaim, "Oh, how adorable." I couldn't stop laughing. Despite the fact that my friends and I found it amusing, some individuals didn't find it amusing that I had a baby. "Why would she bring a baby here?" one pair exclaimed. Due to their preconceived notion that I was a teenage mother, these individuals were rudely staring at me and making snap judgments about my character.
Several people simply smiled sympathetically at me, as if they felt sorry for me, because I was a child with a child.
When we finally did get a table, the waiter inquired if I needed a high chair since he thought I was carrying a doll. Although it was simply a doll, I assured him that a high chair would do just fine. He brought a high chair and a red balloon for the baby since he felt it was humorous that I had dared to bring a doll into the restaurant.
Other diners in the restaurant stared strangely at my dining companions and me yet again. At least one pair walked by our table repeatedly simply to get a glimpse of my infant. They were probably trying to determine if the doll was a real infant. The pair passed by, and as they did, my friends and I started talking about how easily people believed that I was the baby's mother. That's when it dawned on us that we'd probably do the same thing had we seen an 11-year-old girl walking in with her child and some pals. Having a baby at a young age is not widely accepted in my community, and many women would go to great lengths to conceal their pregnancy if they choose to do so.
After dinner, we went to the mall, and Tyler had to go with me. Unlike my companions, I was unable to peruse the racks of clothing due of my "infant" (which was becoming quite heavy). Consequently, I wandered around the store, wondering that I could also try on clothes. After then, the baby began to make a hideous imitation of a baby cry. It was deafeningly obnoxiously loud. As soon as I'd gotten the doll to stop weeping, I'd had to explain to the salesperson why I was walking around with a plastic doll. Glad to be home after a long time away.
My encounter with the "Think-It-Over" infant taught me a lot. There is no doubt that the doll reaffirmed my belief that I was not ready to become a father, but it also helped me see the bigger picture. It made me more aware of the assumptions individuals make about other people. Often, people fail to see that things are not as they appear. It appeared as if the doll was my child, but it wasn't. It was only for a school assignment. Because they assumed I was a teenage mother, the guests in the restaurant were eager to judge me. They probably thought I was nuts for bringing a baby to such a raucous, smokey location; they had no idea what was hiding under the blanket but a plastic doll.
Judging people I don't know based only on their first impression is a common occurrence for me. I have no idea what their genuine stories are. People tend to be harsh on pregnant teenage girls, in my opinion. Even if they've made a mistake, the girls are usually aware of it and are responsible for the consequences. Even though I just had to deal with the stares and insults for one night, I couldn't help but think about the other women who have to put up with these kinds of treatment wherever they go. We should all be a little more cautious when it comes to judging these girls or anyone else.
