Education: Home Economics

04.19.2010

I have many opinions about our education system and I will cover them little by little. As a matter of fact, perhaps I will dedicate this week to the issue of education.

Today’s issue is going to be about home economics. I have this fantasy of opening up a school one day where I’d be the queen of that school and I’d be able to implement the curriculum of choice (because our politicians sure as hell can’t do it) and, based on all kinds of psychology and tests and blah-blah-blah, I’d have this grand ol’ school.

Starting with junior high, I’d separate the genders into separate classes but at break, lunch, and other school activities they can mingle. In fact, there’d be specific opportunities where boys and girls would be able to cooperate and work together because an education should be well rounded.

And girls AND boys would be required to take a home economics class. For at least a year. They’d learn to cook for themselves, to shop, to budget (for shopping), etc. As far as making boys take the class, I think, it would lessen the stigma that a woman is required to take care of the kitchen and not the man. I’m really tired of that.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with a man knowing how to sew on a button or knowing how to do laundry correctly. These are skills needed to function correctly and to become more self-sufficient. These parents…or rather, these mothers who coddle their children (ok, their boys) are doing a huge disservice to their sons and any future person with whom he is going to have a relationship.

I’m lucky that Rob can do a lot of the above, but it would certainly helped if he knew more about cooking or food shopping. Now, recently we had a bit of a light bulb moment where he realized that at the end of the week, when all is said and done, I have a significantly fewer amount of hours to myself than he does. And (pay attention), on his own accord, he said he wants to step up. (I love this man!)

But it gets me thinking that if we had an education system that encouraged both genders to learn how to be independent (in collaboration with parents, of course) that couples wouldn’t have the same arguments over and over. At least, regarding the household.