The Case For Teaching Household Economics In Schools

When people think of home economics, images of baking muffins or sewing a pair of pants come to mind. But home economics involves a lot more than simply baking and sewing. It’s a class that teaches children basic life skills they’ll one day need to run their own home successfully – and it’s something many students are lacking in school these days.

Teaching household economics in schools isn’t as popular as it once was. In fact, many people may wonder, “Is home economics still relevant?” The truth of the matter is that the world may have changed in some big ways since you were in school and went through home economics, but the basics are still the same – and children still need to learn them.

So what is household economics in a modern context? And how can it help children in today’s world? Read on to learn more!

What Is Household Economics?
The things people generally think about when they hear the term “home economics” are only part of the story. Cooking is a major element, as is sewing, but the term is meant to encompass all parts of managing a household.

When you break it down, home economics covers a variety of subjects related to simply living your life as a functional adult. It teaches human development as well as food science and preparation, textiles, apparel, interior design, wellness, nutrition, and personal finance. It teaches kids how to keep their home clean, and how to wash their clothes – but also delves into consumer education, something very important but sorely lacking for many children today.

In the past, home economics was centered around issues involving the home, but now it has grown to encompass topics of importance both at home and abroad, such as urban poverty and overpopulation. What is taught in home economics may change from school to school, but one thing is true no matter where you are: this subject area teaches important skills that young people need.

Why Are Household Economics Important?
Household economics is a vital part of a child’s education since it teaches them skills that are valuable as they get older. For example, the information and skills they learn about nutrition and food go beyond simply learning to cook. They also help students to understand:

• How the food system works – This encompasses how food is grown, manufactured, and sold, which helps to make students savvy consumers later on.
• How nutrition works – Kids may have health class to learn the basics of nutrition, but home economics puts these lessons into action, helping children to gain an understanding of the food they are eating and where it comes from so they can make informed choices for a healthy future.
• Ethical food production – Many issues will face our children in the future, and one of them is the innovative ways in which food can be ethically sourced to feed the world.

As you can see, many people mistake home economics as a class that simply teaches you how to do housework, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s true education to help children become independent and contributing members of the global family.

What Areas Does Home Economics Focus On?
Traditionally, home economics curriculum has been divided into seven main categories. They are:

• Cooking – This is the part of home economics most people remember. For many, it was their first experience cooking in the kitchen. There’s no doubt that learning how to prepare a nutritious meal is a big deal and a life skill many people need to help them take control of their health as adults. Cooking education also teaches proper food preparation techniques to help prevent disease and illness.
• Community awareness – Many home economics classes touch on ethical lessons that help children to develop their awareness of the world, people, and systems around them.
• Child development – While perhaps not emphasized quite as heavily as in the past, child development is another core category of home economics. Students learn about how children develop and how to deal with children at each stage of development.
• Sewing – Learning about textiles and sewing is another key area of home economics. While most people no longer make their own clothes, this is still a key part of what children learn in these classes. Understanding how to repair your clothing is just as important as learning to sew something from scratch.
• Home management – Learning techniques for organization and cleanliness in the home are key to a proper home economics class.
• Budgeting – Learning how to handle money is vital. In home economics, students learn how to buy food and other essential items within their budget, a skill that is needed throughout life.
• Health – Many original home ec curricula had a focus on teaching the basics of caring for someone who is ill at home, but today this has morphed more into how to prepare food to help prevent illness and disease.

Do We Still Need Home Economics?
You may be under the impression that home economics is the last vestige of a bygone era, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This class teaches kids about more than safety or cooking; it also teaches them how to be responsible. The techniques young people learn in their home economics class can be integrated into their daily lives now and for years to come. Teens need to have a basic grasp of how to run a household on their own and how to care for themselves, both physically and financially. It allows them to be well-functioning members of the community as they develop important life skills.

Home economics is important, so make sure your child is getting a proper education in this area.

Featured image by Brooke Lark on Unsplash