If you graduated before the year 2000, you might remember taking a home economics or home studies class—especially if you were a girl. These classes focused on teaching practical domestic skills, which, at the time, were considered essential for women.
Today, the idea of both men and women sharing responsibilities for home and family is far more accepted. However, home economics classes are fading from the curriculum, and fewer schools offer children—both girls and boys—the chance to learn fundamental life skills that go beyond what subjects like Mathematics or History can provide.
Many people argue that reintroducing home economics in schools is crucial, especially in today’s fast-paced world. With parents often working long hours, many high school students return to empty homes after school, expected to cook for themselves, do laundry, and manage basic household tasks. But how many of them have been taught these skills at school?
There’s no doubt that learning these life skills can foster independence. A study found that 62.7% of the 3.1 million 2020 high school graduates in the U.S. were enrolled in college. Many of these students, leaving home for dorm life, face the challenge of managing their own meals, laundry, and personal spaces for the first time. Being taught these skills in school could make a significant difference in their ability to cope.
While societal expectations of women’s roles in the home and workplace have changed drastically, and it’s now accepted that women are not destined to a future of domesticity unless they choose it, the importance of learning basic life skills remains. Cooking, doing laundry, and administering first aid are important, but home economics could teach so much more—like changing a tire, filing taxes, or handling basic home repairs. These are skills many adults still struggle with, and learning them at a young age could have lifelong benefits.
It makes sense to give kids a dedicated space to learn these essential life skills, yet schools often prioritize subjects that may have less practical value in daily life. Of course, if all else fails, children can still learn many of these skills from their parents. But formal education in these areas could ensure that all students, regardless of their home situation, are equipped to face the challenges of adulthood.
