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Home Ec? Seriously. When did Home Economics disappear from schools? I was lucky, it was an integral part of my sophomore or junior year of high school. But, I was home-schooled. I was watching back episodes of Teen Mom a couple weeks ago, and without getting into all the other things that bother me, one of the girls who was living on her own, with her baby, had no idea how to write a check. Really? First off, that wasn't even introduced in Home Ec for me, that was 4th grade math, but I digress. In addition to having no clue about household finances, I've seen/heard/watched several of my friends take their clothes out to a tailor or dry cleaner to have them hemmed or a button sewn on and I've stopped friends from throwing out perfectly good furniture with a cushion that had a bit of a rip that could be fixed with 5 minutes, a needle, and thread. There are kids leaving for college that don't know how to boil water! It drives me nuts! There are some basic things you should know before you get your high school diploma.
1) How to do your own laundry without bleed over or shrunken sweaters
2) How to iron
3) How to do basic sewing - buttons, hems, hooks and eyes
4) How to use the stove/oven/microwave (metal doesn't go in the microwave oven!)
5) How to make some basic meals so if McAlister's is out of potatoes you know how to make your own!
6) How to shop for groceries
7) How to make a budget
8) How to write a check/pay bills
9) How to clean a bathroom - don't mix bleach and ammonia or bleach and vinegar! (Although bleach & vinegar is a great way to kill anthrax spores)
10) How to sweep, vacuum, and mop effectively Of course I'm not optimistic enough to hope that this one blog post will change the entire national school system, but I was lucky enough to stumble upon a fantastic blog that cover all of this an more: Home Ec 101. It's a great resource for not only the basics but the less obvious needed skills, like sharpening a kitchen knife or clothes dryer repairs. So if you haven't already taken good ole home ec (or even if you have), take yourself back to high school and brush up on your home economics! You might even feel a sense of accomplishment and pride when you can really DIY! Follow me on Facebook or Twitter so you don't miss out on any of the Milk Bubbles that just might make your day that much more special!