HOME-MAKING
OK, Folks, this is going to offend some people...
Not much stands out about junior high Home Economics other than 1) the skirt I had to make that my Mom helped me finish, and 2) the Baked Alaska Cyndy Stroud and I made. But I think the things I learned there must have planted seeds somewhere in my subconscious. To their credit, I never remember the teachers saying sexist things (though only girls took HomeEc and only boys took Shop), but I do remember the emphasis being on "making a home" including cooking, sewing, buying bargains and cleaning.
And that's what brings me to this post. When I was growing up, Saturday mornings were devoted to cleaning the house. From age 5-12 years, we lived in a 2-bedroom bungalow, so it really didn't take very long. My job was dusting. My Mom vacuumed (and probably a bunch of other stuff) and my Dad mopped the kitchen floor. Also, after every meal, my parents washed and dried the dishes, and put them away in the cabinet. When I got home from school (and church) I changed into "play clothes" and hung up my "school clothes" (or "church clothes") in the closet. I was taught to play with one thing at a time and then put it away, though I am sure I didn't always do that. But the premise is the same. Clean up. Straighten up. Put it away. And my parents monitored that. Fast-forward to my early married days and even now: I have always had a "cleaning day" even when I have hired others to clean the house. I have always had my own cleaning day. Habit.
Looking back on the inventions since the 50s and 60s (dishwashers, more efficient washing machines, dryers, stoves ice makers, etc.), I see that "housekeeping" and "home-making" should have become much easier and more efficient, and, given the time saved, we should all live in clean, well-organized homes. But what I am witnessing among my children's generation doesn't seem to support that. Of course, I definitely agree with the concept of spending quality time with kiddos and not being so focused on a spotless house. And given the social upheaval of the 60s and 70s, with focus on things more than "home-making", I was even a subscriber to. And I also support teaching children through assignment of chores. But the tradeoff for all that freedom seems to be a a systemic lack of household order and, in many cases, cleanliness and hygiene, as well as basic cooking skills.
Is all the above the result of NOT requiring Home Economics in schools any longer? Or something else? I'll be the first to admit, I don't know.
I do know a lot of well-meaning and loving Moms out there are telling their children to clean up their rooms. But telling a child who is less then 10 years old to clean up and ORGANIZE a room is like telling me to do brain surgery. They don't have the mental skills to do that. Organizing and sorting skills do not develop until a child is 10-12 years old. Can they put stuff in bins? Absolutely! Can they pick up their toys? Absolutely! But less than about 10 years, and they can't "organize". That's a different mental skill that their brain has not yet grown. So relying on children to "clean up a room" which requires sorting just might be fraught with frustration.
So what do we (adults) need to do?
Well, my first thought is to bring Home Economics back into the required curriculum. And Shop too for that matter. People need to know ho to make and repair basic things. Men and women should be required to take both classes, in my humble opinion.
But if you want more tangible specifics, here you go:
1) Make up your bed every morning. (Take a look at this if you want more encouragement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70)
2) Pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket
3) Put your clothes into a closet or bureau when they are clean
4) Clean up your own bedroom!
5) Task your children with doing the above, only if YOU DO IT FIRST.
6) Wash dishes and/or put them in the dishwasher, after every meal. Be a role model. If you task your children, be an engaged mentor.
7) Have a regular cleaning day where you clean (scrub toilets, sinks and other stuff, vacuum, dust, put items where they belong)
8) Don't rely solely on your children to do the above, but rather teach them by assigning chores, coming alongside to encourage, and hold them accountable if they don't. Bottom, line, the chores get done.
What am I advocating? Adults need to be "Home-makers" again. We've gone too long without them.
Not much stands out about junior high Home Economics other than 1) the skirt I had to make that my Mom helped me finish, and 2) the Baked Alaska Cyndy Stroud and I made. But I think the things I learned there must have planted seeds somewhere in my subconscious. To their credit, I never remember the teachers saying sexist things (though only girls took HomeEc and only boys took Shop), but I do remember the emphasis being on "making a home" including cooking, sewing, buying bargains and cleaning.
And that's what brings me to this post. When I was growing up, Saturday mornings were devoted to cleaning the house. From age 5-12 years, we lived in a 2-bedroom bungalow, so it really didn't take very long. My job was dusting. My Mom vacuumed (and probably a bunch of other stuff) and my Dad mopped the kitchen floor. Also, after every meal, my parents washed and dried the dishes, and put them away in the cabinet. When I got home from school (and church) I changed into "play clothes" and hung up my "school clothes" (or "church clothes") in the closet. I was taught to play with one thing at a time and then put it away, though I am sure I didn't always do that. But the premise is the same. Clean up. Straighten up. Put it away. And my parents monitored that. Fast-forward to my early married days and even now: I have always had a "cleaning day" even when I have hired others to clean the house. I have always had my own cleaning day. Habit.
Looking back on the inventions since the 50s and 60s (dishwashers, more efficient washing machines, dryers, stoves ice makers, etc.), I see that "housekeeping" and "home-making" should have become much easier and more efficient, and, given the time saved, we should all live in clean, well-organized homes. But what I am witnessing among my children's generation doesn't seem to support that. Of course, I definitely agree with the concept of spending quality time with kiddos and not being so focused on a spotless house. And given the social upheaval of the 60s and 70s, with focus on things more than "home-making", I was even a subscriber to. And I also support teaching children through assignment of chores. But the tradeoff for all that freedom seems to be a a systemic lack of household order and, in many cases, cleanliness and hygiene, as well as basic cooking skills.
Is all the above the result of NOT requiring Home Economics in schools any longer? Or something else? I'll be the first to admit, I don't know.
I do know a lot of well-meaning and loving Moms out there are telling their children to clean up their rooms. But telling a child who is less then 10 years old to clean up and ORGANIZE a room is like telling me to do brain surgery. They don't have the mental skills to do that. Organizing and sorting skills do not develop until a child is 10-12 years old. Can they put stuff in bins? Absolutely! Can they pick up their toys? Absolutely! But less than about 10 years, and they can't "organize". That's a different mental skill that their brain has not yet grown. So relying on children to "clean up a room" which requires sorting just might be fraught with frustration.
So what do we (adults) need to do?
Well, my first thought is to bring Home Economics back into the required curriculum. And Shop too for that matter. People need to know ho to make and repair basic things. Men and women should be required to take both classes, in my humble opinion.
But if you want more tangible specifics, here you go:
1) Make up your bed every morning. (Take a look at this if you want more encouragement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70)
2) Pick up your dirty clothes and put them in the laundry basket
3) Put your clothes into a closet or bureau when they are clean
4) Clean up your own bedroom!
5) Task your children with doing the above, only if YOU DO IT FIRST.
6) Wash dishes and/or put them in the dishwasher, after every meal. Be a role model. If you task your children, be an engaged mentor.
7) Have a regular cleaning day where you clean (scrub toilets, sinks and other stuff, vacuum, dust, put items where they belong)
8) Don't rely solely on your children to do the above, but rather teach them by assigning chores, coming alongside to encourage, and hold them accountable if they don't. Bottom, line, the chores get done.
What am I advocating? Adults need to be "Home-makers" again. We've gone too long without them.
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