Teaching timely, real-world skills to children and families
alumni update
by Alex Rivers, '19, Family Consumer Science Education
I haven’t written anything like this before, but this quarantine has made me think a lot about my amazing decision to become a Family Consumer Science (FACS) Education teacher. Many people are confused by the name Family Consumer Science and I am constantly explaining that it is the new name for “Home Ec”. This is typically followed by “oh so you teach kids how to cook and sew!”
I’m going to share with you a little bit about why Family Consumer Science is so much more than that and why it is important for everyone to be aware of it! Below I made a (short) list of things that are happening RIGHT NOW across the globe during the pandemic that are related to topics taught in Family Consumer Science classes:
- Sewing face masks
- How to properly wash hands
- Budgeting for groceries/bills
- Creating/updating resumes for those who have been laid off
- Cooking more meals at home because #stayhome
- Cooking meals on a budget
- Talking to children about their emotions and change in routines
- Finding developmentally appropriate activities for our kiddos at home
- Many family dynamics may have changed as adult children move home, parents work from home, and kids are not at school, blended or single parents struggle with custody
- Relationships (friends, family, and significant other) are potentially strained with the quarantine and people are finding new ways to interact with one another
I could probably make this list go on for a very long time, but I think you get the idea... So, the next time you hear someone saying that schools should provide “adulting” classes for students, tell them that FACS is doing just that! I’m proud to call myself a Family Consumer Science teacher and can’t wait for the opportunity to start teaching students just how prominent these topics are in the real world!
