While it’s frustrating when childcare plans fall through, for many parents in college, it can mean missing tests and lectures, which can affect grades. That’s why one college professor stepped in to help a struggling mom when she brought her baby to class. 33-year-old Katy Humphrey is a wife and mom who’s pursuing a degree in exercise physiology at Baylor University. Earlier this month, she had no choice but to bring her 4-month-old, Millie, with her to class after her sitter cancelled at the last minute.
Like all babies, Millie started to fuss and become upset. Without asking any questions, Professor Darryn Willoughby took over seamlessly, and held Millie for the rest of his 55-minute lecture.
Humphrey told Today how this is the second course she’s taken with Willoughby:
“[Millie] would always kick when she would hear him talk, so our joke was that she either liked him a lot or not at all. Dr. Willoughby said if I ever needed to bring her to class, he was OK with it, so it made me feel relieved to know I would be able to learn and take care of my daughter.”
While it’s completely generous and commendable behavior, Willoughby says it’s all in a day’s work for a dedicated teacher, and makes it sound like no big deal:
“I didn’t do it for myself. It’s just about me looking out for and taking care of my students. It was an issue more so just her being able to feel more comfortable and relaxed in class… I carried her [Millie] around for almost an hour and she was totally content. We never heard a peep out of her the entire class.”
Humphrey hopes to become a physical therapist who specifically works with wounded warriors. After spending 14 years in the Marines working as a Pashto linguist and signals analyst, she was inspired to embark on this path. Luckily, professors like Willoughby are helping her make this ambition a reality.
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