Teach Life Skills in Schools

[PPW (Joanna Iris)]

@amie.holladay

Restore Home Economics to schools, with a new emphasis on healthy lifestyles, as part of a program to teach students the life skills that are sorely lacking in many young adults.
Children spend a full work-week in school all their young lives and many graduate without knowledge of how to care for themselves in the most basic ways.
Cooking, caring for a home, budgeting and banking, simple home and auto repairs, etc. are real life that will confront every student, whether they choose to go to college or straight into the economy.
Going into adult life with these skills in place will create independence and confidence and foster the kind of real-time problem solving that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Response to the Proposal to Restore Home Economics in Schools

I wholeheartedly support the proposal to restore Home Economics to our schools, with an updated focus on healthy lifestyles and essential life skills. In a rapidly changing world, many young people graduate without the foundational skills necessary to navigate adulthood, and the absence of practical life skills education leaves them ill-prepared for the complexities of managing their personal lives. This proposal addresses a critical gap in our current educational system, one that impacts students’ long-term well-being, financial health, and overall independence.

By reintroducing Home Economics as part of the curriculum, we are not only teaching students how to cook or clean but providing them with tools that are vital for their success and well-being in the real world. Understanding how to cook simple, healthy meals promotes good nutrition, which in turn fosters better health outcomes. Knowing how to budget, manage finances, and make informed decisions about spending are key skills that contribute to long-term financial independence and freedom from the cycle of debt that so many young adults face.

Moreover, adding elements like home and auto repairs, personal organization, and basic DIY skills introduces students to practical problem-solving and resourcefulness. These are valuable traits that build confidence and resilience, preparing students for the many challenges they will face as adults. This holistic approach empowers them to take responsibility for their own lives and fosters a sense of self-reliance that will serve them in both their personal and professional endeavors.

Additionally, life skills such as time management, meal planning, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle are crucial in an age where stress and mental health struggles are increasingly prevalent. The ability to manage one’s environment and personal needs creates a sense of control, which can help alleviate feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.

This renewed emphasis on life skills education also acknowledges that not every student will follow the same path after graduation. Whether they go to college, start a career, or embark on another journey, having these skills will give them the foundation to succeed on their terms. It will also foster the kind of adaptive thinking and problem-solving that will benefit them as they navigate the complexities of modern life.

In conclusion, restoring Home Economics to the classroom is not just about teaching students how to cook a meal or fix a leaky faucet; it’s about providing them with a well-rounded set of skills that will prepare them to meet the challenges of adulthood with confidence and independence. The integration of healthy lifestyles into this curriculum will ensure that students are not only equipped for the future but are also empowered to lead fulfilling, balanced lives. I believe this proposal represents a critical step toward shaping a generation of young adults who are prepared to thrive, no matter what paths they choose to take.

[CassandraY (Cassandra Yocum)]

Many Americans don’t understand personal finances. Parents that don’t understand personal finances can’t properly teach it to their children. If we were to teach this in high school I firmly believe that the youth would make better decisions in their early adulthood. Teach old school balancing a checkbook, making a monthly budget, how to properly use credit cards, and how to pay down debt! Kids graduate High school & college with no idea how to do these things, yet we claim we’ve taught them to think critically. We’re failing them on a basic level!

[C_Flo (Courtney Florine)]

I’m a teacher in IL, we already teach much of this in school in required Consumer Economics and other classes. Please keep in mind, so much has been added to the plate of what schools are expected to teach over the years. We can’t do it all. At some point, parents need to be expected to teach their child some things. I mean, now we have to teach social/emotional skills as well as everything else! Where does it end? There’s not enough time in a school day or the school year to teach all of this.

[Jkfoster101 (Jason Foster)]

There are a lot of great educational ideas here. They should be addressed at the state level, or the local school level. Not from a dictating federal government.

[Kricket (Deborah Hedrick)]

I agree! We need our youth to understand what it takes to produce your own food. Maybe they won’t waste so much then.

[RandyK (Randy Kay)]

Hi Amie, Yes our kids and young adults need life skill training!

I suggest some practical innovation here…Why not rely on community resources?:
-This training should be only recommended and not required.
-Students days are filled with the standard curriculum
-These are elective courses
-We want to push the decisions on these options down to the local communities as much as practical
-Communities are filled with a boat load of life experience and knowledge
-Public schools are run by a bureaucracy that should not be more empowered than necessary.
Therefore I suggest going to the community for much of this training…
Outside seminars, field trips, apprenticeships etc. could be identified and vetted by the school board and published in a “life skill bulletin” on a semester basis. In some cases funds could be made available.
For example:
Community Colleges could could offer courses
Financial instututions (banks investment managers etc.) could help with budgeting investing etc.
Healthy life style education could be offered by hospital clinics and treatment centers
Repair training/apprenticeship could be offered by local auto dealerships, Home service industry volunteers and Hardware Stores…
IMO I think that local community businesses are community minded and what could work better than helping out your future community members by training your future workforce and product consumers.
Also why not use the “Home Learning Builder” tutor as a self-paced training option?
I suggest it here:

Teacher unions--Returning power to the family!

The Home Learning Builder (HLB) The HLB initiative will be life changing for families that find themselves in difficult educational circumstances HLB takes about 30 seconds of introduction. (see the outline below) -Inadequate education is a fundamental threat to the long term viability of our Republic –For the “Voice of the People” to be meaningful it must be educated and informed. The HLB public introduction (30 seconds): {Presenter’s Pitch} “In addition to school choice, we’re going to cr…

[Hands-on (Michael Rousseau)]

Mike Rowe to head all school programs to get Vocational trades back into the schools. Shop class in both wood, and metal shop to learn building ,electrical, welding, machining. These skills need to be taught in middle school and high school classes for those that are good with there hands.

[mds3205 (Megan)]

Also financial education, with an emphasis on personal finance. The number of adults who don’t understand compound interest or amortization is staggering. And they make an easy target for overzealous lenders. (Especially letting 18 years old take out tens of thousand in student loans without understanding how they work!)

[mds3205 (Megan)]

So true! This shirt sums it up well!
https://images.app.goo.gl/fvThe4WMh755LTLw8

[mds3205 (Megan)]

Great idea! Maybe even make a number of volunteer hours a requirement to graduate. Or even a certain number per year?

[Nivlock]

In Japan children clean the school themselves and learn how to cook meals, mean cloths, and many other life skills in early ages. I think we should adopt this along with teaching skills like creating a budget and some sort of ‘communications’ course as I feel with technology people lost the communication skill.

[Janet4Peace (Janet L Becker)]

I like all of your comment excudeing the exclusion of gym…kids today need to exercise inside and outside useing things like hoops jump ropes balls etc to keep their bodies fit and healthy and to get them away from the competer screens for a break…the computer training is a must so i see gym as a good balance for health…

[Tjhayes (Timothy Hayes)]

When I was in Jr. High the school decided all students have to take an introduction to the Shop Classes and Home Economics.
We all complained we had to take HomeEc
But cooking, sewing come in handy .
The Shop Class as well considering I worked forty years .
Not every American needs to go to college

[HurricaneMark (Mark Herring)]

Id suggest making a trade skill (welding, pipefitting, automotive repair, etc) a mandatory class starting in junior high and also mandatory to learn in school how to play chess and how to read music.

[Melandrew_Santos]

Agree, basic survival skills are gone. Schools must also teach the Declaration of Independence, constitution, current state laws, and local laws rather being ignorant till adulthood. How to survive in the economy (know laws, business economic concepts, communication skills,basic home repair ), how to survive in general (hunt, forge, plant, cook, use basic tools), and how to defend yourself(self defense training including weapons)

[Billy62 (Billy Moore)]

A must for our county’s future

[BigHand4LittleLady (Some Old Lady)]

Ive been saying this for years!
Kids graduate high school and havent been taught how to balance a checkbook, how utilities and deposits are done, How home loans and rental agreements work. Car insurance. And how your credit effects all of that. Budgeting,!
Basic laws. (follow lawful orders, etc)., Ive seen so mamy people yell “i know my rights”, when they dont know what they’re talking about.
How about being able to converse w somome wbo disagrees w you. Empathy, compassion, understanding, the willingness to discuss and LEARN something.
The REAL LIFE consequences of having a child. Life changing event. Birth control!

[rcjcb (JC RC)]

My Elementary taught GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct), Home Economics, everything about home making and living life! Cooking, Gardening, and sewing. Our Girl Scouts were not selling cookies!! We were camping and trying to survive wilderness!!

My high school was a Business High School. We were taught Typing, Management, Marketing, Accounting, Nippongo language, Stenography, and Ballroom dancing! Yes! Ballroom dancing! Securing a deal can be done while dancing! Then we have OJT and Military training too!

[MW92 (Mary)]

[Connected to Montessori method]

[4FinancialEducation (PEM LIFE)]

Nowhere is the need for this kind of education more evident than with the way we prepare our youth to make efficient financial decisions. Decisions which will allow them to build wealth and secure the kind of financial future they are hoping for tomorrow.

As a society, we spend a small fortune for our children to receive an education, yet they graduate with little to no understanding of how to manage the money they will earn.

I have laid out a proposal, highlighting some of the critical concepts we should be teaching our students, if we intend on helping them to achieve a brighter financial future.

I believe that you will find this information incredibly useful.