Why I Believe Homemaking Skills are Important

This morning, while I was waiting for my tea, I caught a few minutes of the cookery segment on a morning show. I was stunned to see the "chef" and tv hostesses teaching their audience to prepare...scrambled eggs with cheese. Aren't scrambled eggs one of those basic dishes that every adult knows how to make? Apparently not! 

I watched as the technique for stirring eggs in a hot skillet was covered in great detail. And I began to wonder about the state of our culture! When did we lose the ability to perform simple, basic, practical tasks like scrambling an egg? Why do people think it is cheaper and easier to drive thru a fast-food place for a chemical-and preservative-filled breakfast to eat "on the run", than to scramble an egg in their kitchen and eat in peace?

I was born in the mid-60s, and I had a mother who believed ALL her children (boys and girls) should know how to cook basic healthy meals, clean house efficiently, do laundry properly, and perform basic home repairs. I had grandmothers and aunts who taught me practical skills such as canning, knitting, sewing, and baking. I was part of the last generation at my school to have home ec classes - basic home ec was required of boys and girls, more advanced classes were practical electives. My mother worked during much of my youth - and was firmly for the ERA - there was no "that's the girls job" talk in our home!

And so my brothers and I all grew up learning solid practical skills that serve us well in our adult lives. We all know how to tend to our babies, we all know how to budget (even if we don't always apply what we know!), and we all respect each other's unique talents - mom and dad didn't raise any misogynists.

So why do I daily address 20-somethings who know how to research anything and everything online for fun and for work, and yet have no clue what to do with a bag of dried beans from the food pantry? Who, in a crisis, cannot figure out how to feed themselves or their family nutritious and filling meals on a strict budget? I think our educational system is missing some important components!