In today's modern society, we've become more and more dependent on technology in everyday life. Fancy appliances like the Instant Pot and air fryer entered our kitchens. The electric toothbrush came into our bathrooms, TVs in our living room, and electricity is even coming to our cars.
And with each passing day, we seem more and more inseparable from our smartphones and laptops. (Believe it or not, Steve Jobs first showcased the iPhone just 15 years ago.)
But does technology teach us actual life skills or how to actually -do- tasks?
Ask a young man or woman today and needless to say they probably don't know how to cook or do laundry as well as past generations at the same age.
This likely became even more pronounced as a result of COVID and the recent pandemic.
More and more parents want to see home economics re-introduced to schools. What would be taught in these courses?
Not just cooking but also practical skills like understanding how to manage finances (i.e. paying monthly bills or taxes) or learning more about nutrition. As the saying goes, we are what we eat.
Imagine a sewing class so your child knows how to resew back a lost button or a gardening class where a kid can learn how to grow fresh herbs. This is not to say that the standard math, reading, science, and history aren't important. But what is being taught in schools may simply be not enough.
According to the latest US Census data from 2021, 94 million Americans ages 25 and older have an associate degree or higher. That's about 42% of the population in that age demographic. Women accounted for more of the college educated population than men. As more and more folks go to college, how many actually have developed the necessary life skills necessary to survive on their own?
Cooking nutritious meals, maintaining a clean dorm room, and doing laundry are more likely to happen if students are equipped with the skills to do so in the first place.
A home economics course could help students learn basic life skills such as changing a flat tire or a lightbulb. Having dedicated time at school to learn this along with other students would provide an optimal environment. Otherwise, the burden lies at home with the parents.
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