Mexico’s “Just Say No To Babies” Initiative
by
on February 22, 2007,
Why didn't we think of this? High School students in the Mexican state of Chihuahua are being forced to care for screaming, hiccuping baby dolls that run on computer chips! This is an effort to bring down the state's soaring teenage pregnancy rate. According to this press release, pairs of boys and girls ages 13 thru 17 are required to spend 2 or 3 days caring for the computerized babies. The babies are programmed to cry for food, burp and wake up screaming for no apparent reason until they are rocked back to sleep.
“You have to change their diapers, feed them and slap them on the back so they burp. They laugh, they get colic. They simulate the behavior of a real baby,” said state education official Pilar Huidobro, who is in charge of the program.
The method to the madness is to get teenagers to be more conscious of the risks of becoming Dad's or Mom's at such a young age. The Northern state of Chihuahua suffers from the highest rate of teen-age pregnancy in Mexico, with 20 percent of babies being born to mothers 19 or younger.
Some of the high tech curtain climbers can even show symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol or drugs as if they were the offspring of addicts. The life like dolls are called “RealCare” babies and are also used in programs in the US and the UK. Huidobro says that the teens are mostly horrified at the amount of work necessary to care for the babies, which they have to take home with them from school and care for at home.
What can I tell you folks? I remember the teenagers back in my day (BC) doing exactly the same thing right here in the USA, only the babies were not computerized. I wish my first wife would have paid more attention! Somehow the atmosphere at the drive in tends to make one forget the all day “fake baby” care giving. In my day the highway would have strewn with plastic baby carcasses and Dad would have had to fork over $20 for a new “baby no-no”, because everyone back then was into yes-yes.
I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt, but come on! I expect this is really just some scheme by the Mexican government to supply computerized welfare recipients for the next wave of 10,000 illegal alien moms preparing to cross the border. Don't get me wrong, some of the nicest people I know are from Mexico and places south of Texas. I just think Mexico could perhaps do something to help their people actually be educated beyond methods used for training primates.
I have an idea, let Mexico participate in the One Laptop per Child, since the US version of this doll costs $100 more than the XO laptop. Then teens in the program could read on the Internet about teenage pregnancy. That way the computer chips won't go to waste and the teens might actually learn something about the world around them, rather than look at more screaming babies. I get this image of a mother in Mexico with maybe 4 kids and her daughter brings home another one!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to profy RSS feed!
skindeep
Svetlana Gladkova
Michael Fidler 
jiri
I am European living in Mexico and this articke makes me again think why Us citizen always have to make Mexico look bad. Who are you Phil to write such an article look at your own country and the problems you have.
I will actually show my students in Mexico your article that they again get something documented who you guys really are.
Gringos are more and more hated in the world and you should start to think why.
well think about it
Well im one of the students of Nicoline and.. well she told allmoust everything about the gringos. And you Phil Butler,yes ,you and all your nation of fat guys cant stop the inmigration of mexicans alliens to your country reducing the habitants of mexico , just you cant, because if the mexicans doesnt do it, it will come the venezuelans, peruvians etc.
But I would like to add that the idea of aplicate the dolls to all mexico it woulndt be a bad idea, but not for the reasons that Phil are describing.
Well I’m another student of Nicoline, and as a Mexican, I think that if the girls in Mexico have computerized babies they don’t going to care so much because is not a real one, they are going to take it like a game and they don’t going to put attention to the baby.
I rely don’t care if someone get pregnant at that age, is her life and I’m sorry but is her problem.
I have my life and I won’t do it and I don’t need to care other people that didn’t choice the best way to her feature.
Americans, please, don’t mess up with another state or country problems; is the mexican government thought that using this babies would be the solution, it is Mexico’s problem. Just mind your own bussiness. I don’t want to sound agressive or something like that, but you know what I’m trying to say =)
The dolls might help, they can make teenager think about if they really want to be a mom or a dad.
They can make them see if they would really want to live that kind of situation.
They help.!!
I am Nicoline’s student too
Hello, Well, I certainly did not expect such a delayed response on this post, but I thank you for your comments however misguided. I feel badly that something I said may have been taken the wrong way or suggested that I have anything other than consideration for people in ANY other country. If I have offended anyone, that was not my intent. I expect the language barrier may have something to do with this misunderstanding, or it could be I did not express myself as well as I might have if allowed 2000 words to support every contention I made here. I did read several articles about these "computer" babies and even where this system was tried here in the US. (I think I did mention that). The problems in Mexico, the world and the US are much more far reaching than a simple story about applying rediculous electronic babies where food, jobs, safety and education are needed. This is not just a problem in Mexico but in many places including here in the US. Here in the US we spend millions of dollars to build a school that only 1/3 of the people who enter it will ever successfully complete the courses. I see that several of you students feel that Americans are rather evil creatures who desire some form of world domination or something. This could not be further from the truth actually. What you see or experience is are the dealings of very wealthy Americans and other nationalities trying to exert force upon less fortunate people for thier gain. The average US citizen is for all intents and purposes just like you - a prisoner of a system however apparently free. There is one simple rule that any of us can follow that will "always" lead to a positive end. Never assume that using the same failing methods over and over will lead to anything but failure. I would have hoped that somewhere in the tone of this article most readers would have detected that I for one feel badly for the people of Mexico and the US who are offered much less than a viable solution to a great problem. Mexico has been a victim of unfairness from many governments including its own. The sad part is the individual beneath the powerful and often ignorant leadership. I can only say that I would never (as a teacher - which I have been) condone or advocate sending insults and provoking hatred from my students. If these dolls help 100 young people to not fall into the trap of having children too soon itis a good thing. The point is how could the money have been better spent to achieve a better result? As for minding my own business, if I did not care about young people and also those I Mexico, then I would not even mention this issue. I am a citizen of the world after all, and though somewhat fat not exceedingly so. I hope I have helped assure you that this American is not out to destroy Mexico by disagreeing with what he is 99.9 percent sure will be another failed social reform catastrophe. Believe me we have quite enough of them here too - and mostly failed ones. A human being does not need feel a shark eat through his/her leg to realize such creatures can be dangerous. I was simply trying to say that we don't each need a computerized JAWS for everyone to realize this. Thanks for your comments and please come and peacefully talk about your issues again. Phil Butler
Phil butler, i sorry for calling you a fat guy…
I am another student of Nicoline,I am a Mexican.I agree with the idea of having baby dolls, because to be honest, I think that in this way teenagers could know the responsability of being parents, and would help them to reflect about this topic. I’m sure that some of them would get stress, and in consequence they wouldn’t like to have babies. But in another way I think that teenagers have the capacity to know the risks that generate when being a pregnant woman, and there are enough sites in where they can look for information to prevent these accidents.
Who are you to be in the problems of another country, you should be in your own problems now i know why i hate more the gringos you are always on another problems and you never look at your own problems!
well, i’m another student of nicoline and I think that this is a great idea because making this we could make teenagers conscious about having babies or not. This is a way in which teenagers could know the big responsability of being parents at this age and it would help them to think more about this topic.
It is becomming painfully obvious that the following is true:
1. Many students in Mexico hate Gringo’s
2. Some teachers in Mexico really want electronic baby dolls for their students
3. The US’s foreign policy and good will is NOT working
4. There is a perception that Phil Butler can control foreign policy
5. Even Mexican young people only read half a post
This post was written to bring to light yet another “foolish” and costly program designed to do one thing and one thing only - put money in someone’s pocket. If you are a student you must do one thing - question. Students do not often become brilliant by having the answers - they become brilliant from having questions. Ask youself questions about why some “Gtringo” would take the time to write a post and then respond to hate mail about it? Why should I care what people in Mexico do?
One answer might be that the world has big problems and as reponsible world citizens need to be proactive when programs or policies are in question. Express your opinion, have your say - but be polite or I will delete your comments.
I’m another student of nicoline…
I’m not agree with the last thing because I think if the goberment give to the teenagers a ocmputer maybe they will read about the pregnacy but they will think like the same, but if they practice how to be a father and all the thing taht they need to do maybe they will think more about have sex with out condon…
my father is gringo and he doesn’t think like you…he always said the mexican have better education than the americans, naybe not in academi but we are better because we are respectful and don’t say things about other countries and when we talk we always said the good things…
Thank you Kerry,
I am not sure if you know how I think exactly, but your comment is much more reasonable. We have the same problems here in the US )I think I said that. In China and many many countries over population is a big problem. We assume too much we humans do. Education here is not very good compared to what it used to be. I expect that education only helps overpopulation in the long term once people gain life experience about such things as safe sex and many other concerns.
I think that if you have a population around you that cannot readily see the impact of having too many shildren too soon - there is going to be a problem no matter what technology you apply. If a teenager in Mexico or anywhere else cannot control themselves even after seeing their contemporaries fall into trouble - no doll or computer is going to help. Your problem there and ours all over the world - is one of building understanding and taking proper action.
If one of my geography students had sent hateful comments and exuded hatred for any people or ethnic group I would have done something about it. I certainly would not advocate being inflamatory about another human being’s opinion or educated evaluation. If you think a doll that costs in the hundreds of dollars is going to help - it is your right to think and express that. In a similar fashion, if I think it is rediculous - that is my right. I think it is rediculous because the very same program has not worked here. I also believe that it is a waste of money that could be used to help people in real need. Showing teenagers how to NOT have unprotected sex by using a high tech doll baby is like something from outer space. Think about it.
Get all the students on a bus - spend a few pesos on gasoline and carry them into the heart of Mexico City. Show them the poor people trying to feed 4 children with very little money and then make the connection. If those intelligent human being cannot make or wont make the connection - your baby doll initiative will certainly not. This is not about me being against Mexico - some of my best friends are hispanic. It is about making the right choices in government and also in life choices.
I will never forget watching Dateline + seeing 14 Year Old Girls Preggers out to HERE! strolling the Hallways of their Texas High Skools in large part cuz Bush & his band of Brainwashed Christian Fundamentalist Taliban-like Republican Zealots won’t Allow Sex Education to be taught in Skool!
A complete Disgrace!!
IMPEACH BUSH!!
http://www.WorldCantWait.org
;))
Peace*