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Did you take Home Economics in school?

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Contributor: Ms. N Ms. N
I didn't take Home Ec. (or Family & Consumer Sciences) when I was in school, but there have been times in my adult life that I have wished that I had. In particular, every time I read in a review that someone has altered a lingerie piece that didn't quite fit, I wish I had taken at least the sewing, clothing, and textiles portion of the class.

So how about you? Did you take a Home Ec. class in school? Did your school offer it? If you did, do you feel you learned much that has helped you in your adult life? If you didn't take it, do you wish, like me, that you had?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
I took Home Economics (or Family & Consumer Sciences) in school.
49
I didn't take Home Ec. in school.
22
My school did not offer Home Ec.
15
I wish I had taken Home Ec. in school.
3
I feel I learned a lot of useful information in Home Ec.
7
I may have picked up a few useful things in Home Ec.
10
I feel my Home Ec. class was a waste of my time.
17
If I had taken Home Ec., I would not have enjoyed it or gotten anything out of it.
2
School? What's that?
2
Other
2
Total votes: 129 (84 voters)
Poll is closed
07/02/2012
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Contributor: solitudinarian solitudinarian
We had to do textiles in the first year of high school. I chose to do cooking in the second year. I'm still hopeless at both cooking and sewing...
07/02/2012
Contributor: jennifur77 jennifur77
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
I didn't take Home Ec. (or Family & Consumer Sciences) when I was in school, but there have been times in my adult life that I have wished that I had. In particular, every time I read in a review that someone has altered a lingerie piece ... more
I did, but it was a joke. I actually did it at home and my mother wasn't much of a cook and can only sew on a button. I had to spend 120 hours cooking things I'd never made before. I ended up making LOTS of cookies. 120 hours worth of baking of cookies.
07/02/2012
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
I ended up taking three years of it (one in junior high and two in high school). The junior high class was pointless (Let's make our own stuffed animals! Really ... ?), but the high school courses gave me a few tips, tricks, and ideas on making things work around the house (albeit with southern style).

There was an Iowa State film produced in the early 50's about majoring in home ec in college. A woman in college? If you didn't want to be a teacher or a nurse ... link
07/02/2012
Contributor: xOhxSoxScandalousx xOhxSoxScandalousx
No I didn't but always wanted to!
07/02/2012
Contributor: Lady of the Lab Lady of the Lab
I did a Home Eco. class that combined cooking & sewing. The sewing has stuck better than the cooking, maybe because what we cooked wasn't very tasty... In particular, I made a pair of flamingo boxer shorts in 8th grade that have lasted 7+ years.
07/02/2012
Contributor: LoveYouLikeThat LoveYouLikeThat
I did home ec, the family class (w/ the fake screaming babies), a sewing class, a cooking class, ect. I loved it.
07/02/2012
Contributor: haley730 haley730
I took home ec, and I can honestly say it was a waist of my time. I already knew everything that they taught, at least that class was easy to pass.
07/02/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
I didn't take Home Ec. (or Family & Consumer Sciences) when I was in school, but there have been times in my adult life that I have wished that I had. In particular, every time I read in a review that someone has altered a lingerie piece ... more
My Mother was very hands on about Home Economics and felt she could teach me better than the school could. She was right! I learned about running a household budget, time management for cleaning/chores, both high end cooking and everyday meal preparation, proper nutrition, sewing, baking, and all the skills you need to be successful living on your own. When I left her house I could cook, plan and prepare exotic meals or holiday meals, do laundry, clean a house properly and do it all on a shoestring budget. None of the people who graduated through our school's Home Ec. classes had nearly any of the skills I did when I left home.
Home Economics is a large subject in our homeschooling and our girls (and soon our son) know their way 'round a kitchen, laundry room, and sewing room.
07/02/2012
Contributor: Undecided Undecided
I took it in middle school but didn't learn much since the teacher hated me I either slept through class or skipped
07/02/2012
Contributor: Terri69 Terri69
I love home ec
07/03/2012
Contributor: Zombirella Zombirella
I took it and I was horrible. I am not crafty at all. I had my friend help me with making clothing and things. I tried to make a pair of PJ shorts and the band was all lop sided and one leg was longer than the other. It was sad. I took it for the easy grade and my friends that were good enough to help my helpless butt out.
07/03/2012
Contributor: CoffeeCup CoffeeCup
My school didn't even offer such a class.
07/03/2012
Contributor: js250 js250
I did take it. The first year Home Ec was sewing, second year cooking. etc. I was super excited and bought my material for my project--just knowing that it would be the best apron ever! I would even add those extra pockets many of them need and do not have.------Then I sewed every last one of my fingernails and a couple tips of my fingers to my very first seam!!!!! I flunked....would NOT go near a damn sewing machine again!!! I taught myself to sew on my own and watched an elderly lady embroider and cross-stitch when I worked at a nursing home. I repeated the things I saw her do and can also cross-stitch and embroider as well. I used to make my own patterns---where the hell did all that energy go??!!

STOP laughing at me!!! That hurt!!
07/03/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
I took it and loved every minute of it just like I did with woodworking and child development. =)
I used to watch my mother do crafty things like sewing and painting when I was little so I guess that's partly where my love for such things comes from.
07/03/2012
Contributor: BoobCopter BoobCopter
Nope.
07/03/2012
Contributor: EdenUser EdenUser
I didn't take it and I don't regret that decision.
07/03/2012
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
I went to a really small school, so that wasn't an option. If it was I probably wouldn't have taken it.
07/03/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
I didn't take Home Ec. (or Family & Consumer Sciences) when I was in school, but there have been times in my adult life that I have wished that I had. In particular, every time I read in a review that someone has altered a lingerie piece ... more
I did take it and learned some important tips and tricks.
07/03/2012
Contributor: Allstars316 Allstars316
They didn't offer it at my school.
07/03/2012
Contributor: G&L G&L
My school didn't offer it. They didn't think it would impress colleges.
07/03/2012
Contributor: SaraW0512 SaraW0512
In 8th grade, they made us females take home ec and males took shop. I can honestly tell you, we baked like 3 sets of cookies and made a sweater. That's it, didn't learn anything else.
07/03/2012
Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
Yup, sure did. Figured I could meet girls. lol Funny though, by that time in my life I knew more about sewing than the teacher. I ended up being the go to guy for everyone in the class when they were having problems.
07/03/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
When I was in Grade School, Home Ec was mandatory for girls. Shop was mandatory for boys. Girls could not take Shop. Boys could not take Home Ec. The year after I graduated 8th grade they started giving both to both sexes.

High school offered both for all genders. Still few girls took shop and few boys took Home Ec or child development classes. ("High Risk" girls were often required to take Child Development classes. Few of them got much out of it and most of them had babies before they graduated with little knowledge of what they were doing.)

I learned little that was helpful in Home Ec. I did get electrocuted from an ungrounded mixer and a metal cabinet. I nearly failed sewing, it was the ONLY D I ever received in all my schooling. I can't sew to save my life. I can sew a seam, sew on a button, or take up a hem. I can't follow a pattern.

I didn't take any of these classes in High School as I was in the College Track and basically, we weren't allowed to, nor did we have room on our schedules for them.

My girls were given mini Home Ec and mini Shop classes in Middle School. The two who are older took Child Development classes in High School, but like me, were on a College Track and couldn't take Shop or Foods or Sewing classes in High School either.
07/03/2012
Contributor: TheirPet TheirPet
I did Home Ec but I remember very little of it. I wasn't very good at sewing, either. I did better in woodshop and tech.
07/03/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
In my Jr. High school everyone was required to take shop and home ec, regardless of sex. Home ec was part book work and part projects (sewing, cooking, etc.) It was years ago but I remember that our teacher was in a minor car accident and we had a sub for the rest of the year. Because of that, we didn't learn a darn thing. No projects, just some book work. Most of what I do (sew, bake, cook, garden, etc.) was self taught. Home ec was a waste of time.
07/03/2012
Contributor: lulz lulz
I took it in HS because it was an easy class and i got to eat
07/03/2012
Contributor: Bullfroggy and Rose Bullfroggy and Rose
I had to in middle school, still know how to sew a little
07/03/2012
Contributor: married with children married with children
my school did not offer that course. I find that if i want to learn how to do something, I pick up some books and start learning how to do it. I dont do any sewing, but my wife does alittle. She just asks my mom if its something she cant handle and my mom helps her. Everything else I do. I had never picked up a power tool until right before I purchased my house, and now I am building furniture and remodeling peoples houses, including mine.
07/05/2012
Contributor: Beck Beck
We did have home ec, but the budget was very limited. We couldn't do a whole lot and didn't learn anything I didn't already know. I already knew how to cook and I already knew I couldn't sew.

I didn't have to do wood shop. For some reason the boys flocked to do the work for me.
07/05/2012