“Mom, do we have a double boiler?” my 12-year-old son asked the other day.
“Uh, no,” I replied, struggling to recall what a double boiler actually is. “I think you can make one using a pot and a mixing bowl… or something like that?”
“Oh, alright,” he said. “But we should really think about getting one. We made brownies from scratch in F.A.C.S. today, and using real melted chocolate made them taste amazing.”
“F.A.C.S.” stands for Family and Consumer Sciences, the modern iteration of Home Economics that my son has been taking this semester at his middle school. Each day, he returns home sharing stories about new delicious dishes he created, the “cool” cooking tools he used, and other charming tales about his culinary adventures, including measuring, mixing, and cleaning up.
I admit that when I learned my son’s middle school required all seventh graders to take Home Ec, I rolled my eyes. In my own experience, Home Ec was a class I perceived as trivial and somewhat embarrassing—a pastime that lacked seriousness. Though both boys and girls participated when I was a student, I still remember my mother mentioning that only girls were required to take it in her time, which made me view it through a lens of sexism.
I assumed my son, who has a passion for math and video games and often views helping with household chores as torturous, would feel the same way. Surprisingly, his F.A.C.S. class has become one of the highlights of his day. Not only is he learning essential life skills—skills that will serve him long after middle school is a memory—but he’s also discovering a love for cooking and baking.
In addition to mastering the double boiler, he’s learning how to read recipes, prepare the stove for cooking, accurately measure ingredients, and even how to crack an egg—a significant milestone, as he’d always refused my help before. He’s also learning the importance of cleaning up after himself. This class goes beyond just cooking; it fosters teamwork and cooperative skills as students work together on projects. My son has mentioned that respectful communication is emphasized, alongside collaboration in executing recipes.
After this cooking unit, the students will explore topics such as etiquette, nutrition, and even career paths. They’ll even tackle sewing projects using real sewing machines—a skill I know many find invaluable. I can’t express how thrilled I am about all of this. These are practical skills that all children should acquire, and many of them are things I’ve not adequately taught my son. While I occasionally enlist his help in the kitchen, he doesn’t have the confidence or know-how that he should.
Interestingly, my son’s school is one of the few remaining institutions still offering Home Ec. According to NPR, the number of schools providing Home Ec courses has plummeted; between 2002 and 2012, 38% of schools eliminated these classes. Factors contributing to this decline include fewer teachers entering the field of family and consumer sciences and budget cuts that prioritize academic subjects over practical life skills.
Gayla Randal, an education consultant for the Kansas State Department of Education, explained that societal stereotypes about home economics teachers have played a role in its downfall. She noted, “Anything that wasn’t about a test score was scrutinized,” which reflects the emphasis on standardized testing under initiatives like No Child Left Behind.
Nonetheless, both educators and parents recognize that Home Ec imparts necessary skills for becoming a well-rounded adult. Life skills should hold equal weight in education alongside academic subjects like algebra. How often do we use algebra in our daily lives compared to the skills required in our kitchens? Clearly, many children aren’t picking up these fundamental skills at home. “Sometimes we underestimate what kids know about household tasks,” said Susan Turgeson, president of the Association of Teacher Educators for family and consumer sciences. “I never thought I would need to explain step-by-step how to put a drain plug in or how much soap to use.” My son, for instance, has no idea what a drain plug is or how to soak dishes.
As a mother of two boys, I feel it’s even more crucial for them to learn these skills. I appreciate that Home Ec is not just an optional class but a required part of the curriculum. It emphasizes that domestic abilities are just as valuable as academic knowledge. I certainly won’t raise sons who can’t prepare a decent meal, operate a stove, or wash dishes properly—absolutely not!
So let’s advocate for the revival of Home Ec everywhere. Thankfully, we’ve moved past the notion that only girls need to learn these skills. If these abilities are essential for everyone, then let’s ensure all children are taught them! Our children will emerge as better students, adults, partners, future parents, and overall more responsible citizens.
For further reading on family and consumer sciences, check out this insightful post on artificial insemination kits. Additionally, if you’re looking for reliable information about pregnancy, resources like the CDC’s pregnancy page are excellent. Also, explore more on food safety and nutrition at Intracervical Insemination.
Summary:
Reviving Home Economics is essential for equipping students with practical life skills necessary for adulthood. Despite its decline in schools, classes like Family and Consumer Sciences provide invaluable lessons in cooking, teamwork, and personal responsibility. By making these subjects mandatory again, we can ensure children are better prepared for life beyond academics.