People Want to Bring Home Economics Classes Back to Schools to Teach Kids Basic Life Skills
Picture this: a young adult staring at a pile of bills, unsure how to budget their paycheck, or standing in a kitchen overwhelmed by the thought of cooking a simple meal. It’s a reality for many today—people navigating adulthood without the essential life skills they need. Somewhere along the way, schools shifted their focus, prioritizing test scores and academic achievements over teaching practical skills for everyday living.
Once a staple in education, home economics classes aimed to bridge this gap, equipping students with tools to manage their finances, prepare nutritious meals, and even sew a torn button. Yet, these courses began to fade from school curriculums, leaving generations to fend for themselves. Now, with growing calls from parents, educators, and students alike, the question looms large: Should we bring back home economics to better prepare the next generation for life’s challenges?
Educators Recognize the Need for Life Skills in Schools
Across the nation, some educators are sounding the alarm about a gap in essential life skills among high school graduates. Marti Harvey, a lecturer at the University of Texas at Arlington, shared a compelling argument in a 2018 opinion piece for Dallas News about the importance of reviving home economics. Harvey proposed renaming it “Skills for Life” and making it a mandatory part of the high school curriculum.
Harvey’s vision goes beyond the traditional scope of home economics, encompassing lessons on budgeting, comparison shopping, basic cooking skills, time management, and foundational economic principles. She emphasized the real-world impact of such a course, asserting that it would give students “a better start in real life than they get now.” Her perspective echoes the concerns of many who lament the lack of preparedness among today’s youth for the challenges of adulthood.
While these concerns resonate deeply with older generations who recall the practical benefits of home economics, the question remains: does anecdotal evidence align with broader trends? For many educators and advocates, the answer points to a growing need for this kind of education in today’s schools.
Are Young People Truly Helpless?
It’s a common belief that younger generations lack essential life skills, but the data tells a different story. Take changing a flat tire, for example—a skill many consider a basic necessity. A survey by Cooper Tires revealed that younger Americans are not as “helpless” as the stereotype suggests. In fact, Millennials (77%) and Gen Xers (78%) reported knowing how to change a flat tire more than Baby Boomers (71%) or the Silent Generation (67%). Even 70% of Generation Z, ranging from ages 8 to 23, claimed they could perform this task.
When it comes to cooking, a foundational component of the traditional home economics curriculum, the trend also defies expectations. Despite the decline of formal home economics classes in schools, home cooking is actually on the rise. A study published in Biomed Central highlighted that more people are preparing meals at home, signaling a renewed interest in culinary self-sufficiency.
These findings challenge the narrative that younger generations are less equipped for everyday challenges. While certain gaps in knowledge and skills still exist, data shows that young people are actively acquiring competencies once taught in schools, either through necessity or changing cultural habits. The question, then, is not whether young people can learn these skills but whether schools should play a larger role in ensuring they do.
Who’s Handling Household Chores Today?
Household responsibilities have seen a shift in recent years, particularly among college-educated individuals. Between 2013 and 2016, the percentage of college-educated men who cooked rose significantly from 37.9% to 51.9%, while the number of college-educated women cooking also increased, from 64.7% to 68.7%. These trends suggest that more individuals are taking an active role in household tasks, particularly cooking.
However, this progress doesn’t mean that everyone is mastering basic household skills. A survey by Tommy John, a men’s undergarment company, paints a less optimistic picture. They found that one in three people lack essential household skills without relying on outside help or searching online. Men were 1.6 times more likely than women to struggle with these tasks. Some examples from the survey include:
- 56% knew how to iron a shirt
- 47% could remove clothing stains
- 46% understood laundry tag symbols
- 45% could sew a button
- Only 12% were capable of tailoring clothing
These findings reveal a disconnect: while certain tasks, like cooking, are seeing a resurgence, many other essential skills are fading. This raises the question of whether schools should step in to address these gaps. By reintroducing life skills education, we could better equip individuals to handle the everyday tasks that define independent living.
Young People Need Help in the Workplace
Practical life skills extend beyond the home—they’re increasingly vital in the workplace. Yet, many young people enter the job market unprepared. A survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce, involving 3,000 firms, revealed that 90% of school-leavers and about half of college graduates lacked readiness for employment. Employers highlighted gaps in resilience, communication, and teamwork—essential traits for thriving in professional environments.
To address these issues, the Chambers have advocated for integrating work experience into secondary education. Such programs could help students build critical workplace competencies and transition more seamlessly into employment. Businesses, while often eager to hire younger employees, express hesitation due to these shortcomings, viewing it as a gamble.
Modern home economics—or “Skills for Life” as some propose—could bridge this gap by equipping students with not only household and personal management skills but also the soft skills crucial for professional success. This dual focus could empower young people to navigate both their personal and professional lives with greater confidence and competence.
Challenges and Criticisms
Reintroducing home economics comes with its share of challenges and criticisms. One significant obstacle is the already packed school curriculums, where core subjects like math and science dominate. With schools under pressure to meet standardized testing requirements, finding time for additional courses is a struggle. Critics argue that prioritizing life skills could detract from academic benchmarks considered essential for college and career readiness.
Funding poses another major hurdle. Many schools operate on tight budgets and may find it difficult to allocate resources for specialized equipment, materials, or trained instructors. Cooking classes require fully equipped kitchens, and sewing lessons need machines and fabric—expenses that some schools simply cannot afford. These financial constraints make it challenging to introduce and sustain life skills programs.
Some skeptics also question whether schools should take on this responsibility, arguing that parents are better suited to teach life skills at home. However, this view assumes that all parents have the time, knowledge, and ability to do so, which is not always the case. By modernizing the curriculum to be inclusive and gender-neutral, home economics could overcome these challenges and provide valuable lessons for students of all backgrounds.
Home Economics for the 21st Century
Let’s face it—the life skills young people need today look nothing like those needed a century ago. While cooking a decent meal or managing a budget still holds value, the world has changed, and so have the demands of daily life. If home economics makes a comeback, it can’t just dust off its old syllabus; it needs a serious makeover. Imagine classes that teach not just how to fry an egg, but also how to navigate online banking, understand credit scores, or even manage mental health. That’s the kind of stuff students could actually use every day.
There’s a lot of debate about whether young people today are more skilled or less skilled than older generations, and honestly, the answer might just depend on what skills you’re talking about. Sure, Gen Z might not sew buttons as effortlessly as their grandparents, but they could probably troubleshoot your Wi-Fi before you even finish asking for help. The challenge is finding a way to blend the old-school skills with modern needs—creating a curriculum that balances practicality with relevance.
What if home economics became the class where students learned not just how to thrive at home, but how to navigate a world full of new challenges? From understanding sustainability to mastering digital tools, this could be a class that helps young people feel prepared for whatever comes next. It’s time to rethink what “skills for life” really means and make sure it’s something everyone can benefit from.