Practicalities Philosophy

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We all want what’s best for our kids.  We want them to get good grades, get into a good college, get a good job and make tons of money.  Then what? Are kids prepared to meet the world as young adults? Schools train them in academics but where do they learn the basics of life?  Work is only eight hours a day; what do they do with the other 16 hours?

 

Where did we adults learn about what colors, styles and fabrics look best on us and wear the best?  Where did we learn that any product with ammonia could be fatal if mixed with any product containing bleach?  Where did we learn what foods are best for us or how to prepare them? Or even recognize some basic ingredients?  Where did we learn the intricacies of contracts, rent and consumer rights? Or even check-writing?

 

There are many college graduates who don’t know how to boil water, sew a button or use the washing machine, let alone figuring out what those small electrical appliances are that they may have received as gifts.  Many even mistake a bowl for a pot since most food is microwave “cooked” in a bowl. And not much time is spent on learning about child development, because most are too “busy” to learn about the normal stages for various ages.

 

During the time that parents were preparing their kids for the future – driving them to ball games, lessons and activities – dinners were fast food on the run or completely missed.  Meanwhile, fewer and fewer children are freely playing with other kids, but instead are told to follow a regimen, instruction and/or procedure. There’s not much give and take, compromise or leadership skills built that way.  Of course, lessons have their merits, but without “down time": kids do not learn necessary thinking and/or interpersonal relations skills.

 

Food, nutrition, textiles, consumerism, life skills, child care, interior design and more can be learned in the family and consumer sciences classes (formerly known as Home Economics) taught at the local middle and high schools.  Unfortunately, many schools are cutting the program due to the emphasis on academics.

 

It’s a sad state of affairs when tomorrow’s business and professional people don’t know proper etiquette, how to set a table, shop for healthy ingredients, pick out quality dinnerware, get along with people they don’t like or plan a personal budget.  It would be nice to tell today’s hard-working students that they will make the big bucks, but they also need to know how to live the life. Parents are too busy and students won’t learn it in school. How sad for our future generations! - Until PRACTICALITIES!