Teenage mothers; school-based child care puts diploma in reach

This busy room is not, however, a television studio but a classroom converted into an Infant Care Center at Groveton High School in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. Here teenage mothers from high schools throughout the county leave their babies--ranging in age from six weeks to 2-1/2 years--while they attend classes, anticipating completion of their high school diplomas.

The 15 mothers, aged 14 through 18, are also enrolled in a daily one-hour seminar, the Adolescent Parenting Program, in which they learn about child development and the best way to care for their children.

The doors to the infant center were opened in 1983 by Joan Hartman, child development teacher and co-founder of the program, and Pam Robinson, the center director. They received a $15,000 grant from the March of Dimes for room renovation and the purchase of baby equipment. Groveton High School provides the space and utilities. The mothers provide their own formula, baby food and diapers. Their child care and transportation are subsidized through the Fairfax County Department of Social Services.

Hartman describes the center and the parenting program as "an oasis in the desert." The desert refers to the 600,000 teenagers in the United States who have babies each year, including the 500 who gave birth in Fairfax County last year. The desert is also the 80 percent of teenage mothers who do not finish high school; and it's their children, who are likely to become teenage parents themselves in another 14 or 15 years.

The oasis is the seminar Hartman teaches and the professional care their babies receive from well-trained care-givers in the infant center. Here, according to Hartman, the mothers are accorded the acceptance that they rarely find elsewhere.

This acceptance comes not only from Hartman and Robinson but from the other caregivers in the nursery as well.

Gunnel Hansen, a Swedish-bron registered nurse, supervises the center. Her graying hair pulled neatly back in a barrette, she gives technical assistance on such matters as bottle warming and the use of a rectal thermometer. There's always at least one baby in her arms.

"Wee-wee" is the children's name for Marie Glover, a grandmother who came first to the infant center as a volunteer. Marie's brown eyes are as wide as saucers and her smile even broader. She bursts into song while the chilren wait for the late arrival of their lunches from the high school cafeteria. Their fussing ceases.

A former Groveton High School child development student, Michelle Cooper, and Gulalai Es-Hag, a mother from Afghanistan, complete the dedicated and competent staff.

It's 11:00 a.m. and morning classes--which began at 7:50 a.m.--are over for the mothers. They arrive at the infant center with books and backpacks, quickly making the transition from students to parents.

It's time for the hands-on part of the parenting program. The mothers will diaper, feed, cuddle and play with their babies while Hartman and the other staff members provide role modeling and on-th-spot instruction.

Fiften-year-old Monique, her brown hair perfectly curled around her face, is first through the door. A smile for her 9-month-old daugher, Naomi, reveals Monique's sparkling braces. She looks more like 12 or 13. Her admonishment of Naomi's crying is brought to a halt by a staff member who cheerfully offers some direction: "All babies cry. Play with Naomi and make her smile."

Mother and daughter settle on the floor and begin a happy game of peek-a-boo.

Indications of well-learned parenting techniques abound as these young mothers go to their babies and begin to interact with them.

Sandy discovers that her son, Christopher, needs diapering. She gently places him on the bright yellow, spacious changing table where he can look at himself in the huge ceiling mirror above. Mother and child begin an animated conversation. "Ba-ba." "Ba-ba to you." "Hi-there." "Boo-boo-boo."

Sandy's nurturing ability and Christopher's well-developed languge skills are in evidence.

Following the learning time with their babies, the blue jean-clad girls leave the nursery to attend Hartman's seminar in the lounge next door.

Chaos erupts as the babies weep and wail watching their mom's departure. Staff members quickly divert their attention to the mobiles and toys and quiet returns.

In the lounge, the mothers settle on comfortable sofas for a lecture and discussion centered around a particular topic. Today's subject is the need for children to develop self-esteem. Hartman asks specific questions to elicit the girl's responses and to encourage them to think about how they can help their babies achieve this goal.

"DeShaun insists he wants to put his own clothes on in the morning. He's only two and I'm in such a hurry. What should I do?" asks 16-year-old Donnetta.

"Yeah, Nicole always gets her shoes on the wrong feet," agrees Nicole's mother, earline.

A suggestion by Hartman to put the children's clothing in an order they can manage the night before receives approving nods from the mothers around the room.

Reflecting on her classes, Hartman notes: "These teenage mothers have their own agendas. They have very specific interests and I need to answer their real questions. I see this program as a solution to some of their problems, whereas my other child development classes are more theoretical and preventive.

"I see real changes in these mothers' attitudes and behavior toward their children. The girls find acceptance here. They feel better about themselves and this helps them deal with their children in a positive way."

What is the reaction of the rest of the Groveton student body to the program and its participants?

As Principal Paul Douglas indicates, "This is hard to discern. Our kids see the babies out on the playground and seem to accept them as a normal part of school life."

A student on her way to soccer practice comments, "I saw one of the mothers on her way home from school one day with all her books, her diaper bag, the bottle bag and her baby. It looked horrible!"

Her companions adds, "It looks like a real pain. It could ruin your life."

Rather than serve to encourage promiscuity, as critics of such programs frequently maintain, these and similar comments suggest that the visibility of the Adolescent Parenting Program may in fact act as a deterrent to other girls having babies in their teenage years.

Hartman agrees. "Any student who watches these girls realizes all of their responsibility could not think it's the best way to go."

Although it's not the best way to go, Wanda, the only married student in the group, says it is the only way that she could finish her education. The rest of the girls agree. Wanda also works evenings while her husband babysits with their 10-month-old daughter, Joni. "It's very hard getting everything together in the mornings," she groans.

Johanna, whose baby, Lauren, is almost a year old, sums it up: "Without this program I'd be sitting home all day with my baby, out of school and not able to work. But this is great. I can finish high school. I can get a diploma and a job. I can support my baby."

COPYRIGHT 1985 U.S. Government Printing Office
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