I mean, it already is.

Even as a male, in grade 8 I took a "home-ec" (home economics) where I learned how to bake pies and wash dishes.

In the same year I was given a bag of sugar and told to pretend it was a baby for a week or two.

The poor thing didn't make it. Died from cranial trauma resulting from neglect :(

I mean, it already is.

Even as a male, in grade 8 I took a "home-ec" (home economics) where I learned how to bake pies and wash dishes. — VagabondSpectre

Where was this? Was this in the US?

In the same year I was given a bag of sugar and told to pretend it was a baby for a week or two.

The poor thing didn't make it. Died from cranial trauma resulting from neglect :( — VagabondSpectre

Poor bag of sugar baby...

I'm Canadian, and this must have been, oh, a good 15 years ago.

Out of respect, we committed its granulated remains to the nearest food bank, so know that he has been respectfully cannibalized laid to rest. May god save his tiny soylent soul!

I'm Canadian, and this must have been, oh, a good 15 years ago. — VagabondSpectre

Will the US, always be behind Canada in socio-economics?

I think a reasonable objective is to teach kids the ordinary things when living by themselves at first. Simple task like making basic foods, baking, cleaning etc. You cannot rely anymore that these things are taught at home.

We had (in Finland) too home economics in our school, where we made various dishes. Unfortunately the teacher was this old woman that was a health-nazi who yelled if we put too much sugar in the dessert. That sucked. Even if the teacher was awful, some friends of mine got hooked on cooking and are now very good cooks.

(What? Don't they have home economics in the US?)

(What? Don't they have home economics in the US?) — ssu

Wiki says we do teach home economics in the US. So, maybe the issue is non-relevant...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_economics#United_States

OK, so in the US there's something called "Family and consumer science."

Go figure.

Should homemaking and parenting be taught at schools?

Thoughts? — Posty McPostface

We weren't taught parenting in school. But you could become a parent when you hit puberty.

We were taught about contraceptives though.

I am not sure what school was supposed to before but I got the impression it was to prepare you to become a worker bee. This was in the late 80's.

I optionally took home economics.

I was raised in Poland, and all we had was something called "Wiedza o Społeczeństwie." The literal translation is "knowledge about society." I guess I missed out on the home economics fun.

That sounds like social studies in the UK. I didn't do that.

We had a one lesson about the welfare system from our craft and design teacher which asked about the prices and costs of things and benefits values. (If I remember correctly)

I think school should probably only be about Human Flourishing. It was more like prison.

When I was in highschool (79-84) most of the girls took home ec and the boys took wood shop. I built a solid oak stereo cabinet. It weighed 500 pounds and wasn't much to look at, but it was sturdy.

They should have parenting classes along with commonsense classes.

Some teacher training programs in home economics still exist, but more often than not it isn't called "home economics".

I think it is a very relevant program -- teach basic child care, basic cooking, basic cleaning (home sanitation), and basic budgeting.

When I was in 6th grade, one of the high school home economics classes raised several white rats on different kinds of foods. (They brought the rats down for us 6th graders to look at.) The rat that had been fed milk-only was skinnier than the rat that had breakfast food and milk. The rat that got only breakfast food was kind of sickly looking too. The rat that got to eat all that it was willing to eat looked like it had been inflated. (that was 60 years ago. the rats made a big impression, I guess.)

This was in the United States. There weren't that many fat people 60 years ago, so I guess the fat rat inspired over-eating.

There weren't that many fat people 60 years ago, so I guess the fat rat inspired over-eating. — Bitter Crank

:lol:

When I was in 6th grade, one of the high school home economics classes raised several white rats on different kinds of foods. — Bitter Crank

I think that experiment would be deemed as cruelty to animals. But I bet it did have an effect on you.

Okay my one achievement in life that was awarded a plaque was to my surprise: Top Home Economic Student of my 8th grade graduating class. Woo Hoo! We learned how to hand sew, machine sew, cook, clean, make a list, check it twice. Measure twice, cut once. Liquid measure are not equal to dry measure. Altitude and attitude affect your final outcome in life and baking. Tired yet? Cold water when in doubt, hot water with bleach but only with whites, iron cool, boiling egg water hot, never forget to use oven mitts. The seam ripper is your best friend as is your balanced check book. Never pay full price for meat, aged is better. Always shop holiday sales and milk freezes. Never trust a skinny Chef, always have a clean home, an open door and a warm heart. :heart:

Home Ec? Never heard of it :razz:
Pst and I think I am a year younger than @Hanover or he was held back because my High School was 84-88....wait Hanover are you including 7th and 8th grade because then you would be a Genius!

Man, I went to a pretty big HS and they didn't have it. Or maybe they did, but it certainly wasn't a required class. Then again, Texas sucks most of the time so I guess I was just born in the wrong place.

My middle school in Washington State had it. It was too short so you couldn’t really cook anything good. We did pizza one day and skipped most of the next class. That was a good time.