Upper School Pyschology "Cracks" the Parenting Code
March 5, 2026
Our AP Psychology Eagles stepped into parenthood this week as part of their Developmental Psychology unit. For 24 hours, students took on the role of a single parent, caring for a “baby” while navigating a full school day.
The goal wasn’t simply to carry a toy from class to class. The project asked students to apply what they’ve been studying—attachment, developmental milestones, and the influence of caregiving environments—to real responsibility. Between classes, practices, and homework, they had to think intentionally about consistency, attentiveness, and what responsive caregiving actually looks like in practice.
Experiential learning like this pushes theory beyond the page. As students moved through their day, the assignment became a tangible reminder of the constant care infants require and the critical role caregivers play in early development.
Inside each “baby” was an egg, a small but powerful symbol of how fragile early life can be. If the egg cracked, it served as physical proof of a student’s shortcoming—evidence of neglecting their “child” and a clear reminder of the level of care and attentiveness real infants require.
Projects like this invite students to engage their psychology lessons in a deeper way, encouraging reflection on responsibility, environment, and the formative nature of early childhood!
