I took Home Ec in 7th grade, but I think mine may have been the last generation to do so. It went the way of “shop” (the "boy" version of this practical course). Together they covered a lot of good, practical stuff: preparing food, mending (or making) clothes, creating a budget, building things, making repairs. Unfortunately, I think the disappearance of these classes mirrored the decline of passing this know-how down to one’s children; so few young people I know seem to have learned these skills growing up – although I’ve met more and more lately who want to learn. It also reflects, I’m afraid, the loss of dignity these humble practices had undergone.
“Home Economics” is an idea whose time has come, again – but an updated version that goes beyond my 1970s course, some of which had degenerated into preparing frozen peas and other products from the free corporate cookbook. The word economy comes from the Greek oikonomia, which literally means “rules of the household.” I like how Wendell Berry’s definition puts this in context of the common good, as “the ways of human housekeeping, the ways by which the human household is situated and maintained within the household of nature.” How we could use these skills now - to make things, to take care of things, to prioritize and budget, to build and repair - all in light of how our actions impact those with whom we share this place.
We struggle to come up with rules for our own household that move us toward fitting in more responsibly with the household of nature as well as with respect toward each other and our guests. I find it annoyingly challenging. The whole subject of “housekeeping” has no small amount of baggage for me, and I have often asked John to cover it, fearing falling into gender roles or, worse, the awful nagging-mother role (I think I’m about done with this character). I believe that “rules of the household” - like how to arrange and label food in the fridge so it doesn’t go to waste, or to wash and dry dishes so water is not wasted and dishes are actually clean, which cleaning supplies to use on what, so that floors, appliances and people are not damaged, or the way to hang clothes so they’ll dry faster and more loads can be hung in a day – do matter financially, environmentally, and even socially (no one likes the person who leaves their dirty dishes in the sink or never empties the drainer). But still I’m uncomfortable always being the one expounding them or patrolling the aftermath.
Honestly, I hate it. I think caring for the household, for the well-being of the people and things in it, is regularly scoffed at as trivial precisely because it’s been traditionally the work of women, not because this work is unimportant or unnecessary. I end up torn between doing what is right and good for our household and the planet and perpetuating harmful stereotypes by - god forbid – nagging. I cringe at the thought of nagging - having to ask (repeatedly) someone to do something they would do without being asked if they concerned themselves with keeping various household items safe, in good working order, and/or out of the landfill. The word itself is almost always applied to women, most often by someone who is disinclined to do the thing needing to be done because it’s a bother or is deemed somehow beneath them. Accusing one of nagging is just incredibly disrespectful of exactly the thing that’s needed right now if we’re going to have a planet to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Thoughtful, caring respect for the things – and the people – in our lives isn’t idol worship, or the trivial occupation of women with too much time of their hands. It’s common sense for the common good.
So, my friends, teach your children well. It’s likely that during their lifetime, they’ll be caring more for the few(er) things they own, rather than simply blithely tossing what’s been neglected and hopping in the car to go buy a new one. “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without” is not just a kitschy plaque at “Cracker Barrel” to remind of us of how quaintly our grandparents used to live. It’s savvy foresight, something that has also always been part of “women’s work.”
{photo: Food News with Attitude}
