Oh yeah that’s it. I never wanted my main job to be taking care of family, home and children. I never desired to go beyond the usual nine to five performing unending to-dos or fulfilling endless amounts of demands. But I went through the motions of learning how to make biscuits and I believe the required dress making also all the while hating it. And even though I was athletically built, I believe at fourteen, from being in several sports in the years previous to this, I was not fat, but felt that I was. So I was not happy about measurements and cutting out material that seemed larger than it should be. I seem to remember this ugly dress not fitting properly also. Not proud of it, it probably ended up in the trash as soon as I got a grade.
I don’t remember much of that class due to having to deal with so many other issues at hand but I do remember not caring much about it; so therefore not much more to remember about the class.
I did some research and found that home economics classes were started in the 19th century. First offered in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Great Britain; followed by Asia, Africa and Latin America. International organizations associated with the United Nations have been involved in starting Home Ec. programs around the world since this time.
I am all for it being intended to ready young women and men for their duties in the home and for healthy environments as it was thought of then. I just didn’t want it for me. I wanted more out of my life. I wanted to perform humanitarian acts. Join the peace corp., be a nun. I wanted to be something more and do something interesting or amazing with my life. I wanted to write and make movies. In yet for so many, many years; most of my life, it seems I was pretty much just a homemaker for my mother and her kids.
I did however lead a bit of an interesting life regardless of my homemaker status, and now that all of those “homemaking” duties for my family are over I do enjoy being somewhat of a homemaker now with my new life; my newest and most contented life style. I now do enjoy cooking a little and having a garden and apple trees in our yard that provide us with more than enough for juice every day and an occasional apple pie that is made by my husband because I simply do not bake. I do clean, cut, package or cook the vegetables every day that we find ready for picking and they are delicious. I am a bit proud of myself for learning how to pickle okra, precook and freeze it and how to freeze green beans and tomatoes so we can enjoy our own vegetables all year long. I have learned many new things since marrying my country guy and finding these new things enjoyable.
I enjoy cleaning our beautiful home but I would like to hire someone to do such things as clean the blinds, woodwork and ceiling fans. Perhaps one day I will but in the meantime I will incorporate these duties as well as the ones I enjoy into my schedule.
Further investigation revealed that a homemaker should make about $100,000 a year for all the duties performed. By the way, I don’t even think Home Economic classes are even offered in the schools anymore, are they?
Happy Homemaking !