Parrothead Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 We were going over the schedule and books for fall. Dd asked if we could squeeze in home ec. I suppose this can be a weekend project thing since most of her evenings are full. So does anyone know of an age -appropriate (I can find stuff for grammar stage) home ec resources? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Another Christian resource is A Beka - they have a home ec program that a friend of mine had both her daughter and son complete. It is a high school course, but they both did it when they were in 8th grade. The book is called "Family and Consumer Sciences." You could look into the 4H clubs in your area to see what is available - you can purchase materials even if you aren't in a club. Another option would be to piece together your own course. There are several cookbooks on Amazon that are oriented to cooking with kids & teens. The FDA and the USDA both have comprehensive web sites. You could also check with your local park & rec department to see if they offer any teen cooking classes. For cleaning skills, there are a lot of options on Amazon as far as books on how to clean a house, how to clean almost everything, etc. You could do a variety of lab experiences - cooking basic meals, special meals, snacks Basic cleaning deep cleaning a specific area Are you going to include finances? That might be a good thing to consider - shopping smart. Rainbow Resource Center has a book called "Radical Home Ec for a Post Consumer World" that looks quite interesting. They also have quite a few books on sewing for a wide range of ages. Books on homesteading would be great from an educational perspective, if she's interesting in learning about that kind of things. There are also books on how to make your own mixes (taco mix, hot chocolate mix, biscuit mix, etc.) and how to make your own cleaning supplies. Sewing is another thing that might be offered through your park & rec. It could also be offered through local fabric stores, sewing machine dealers or quilt shops. I'd be interested in knowing what you find as far as resources go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Thanks. You've given me something to think about. Oh, she will be almost 14 this fall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 I would target what she is most interested in . . . and have lots of "internship opportunities" --like cooking supper, mending (the first step toward learning to sew), laundry, cleaning the bathroom, balancing the checkbook. Add up the contact hours & have her write something about what she's learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Maybe I'm oversimplifying this, but why try to re-create a school home ec. class? As homeschoolers, we are perfectly set up to teach our kids the "economy of the home." I have two 8th grade daughters right now and one in 6th. They each have one night a week when they are in charge of dinner. They have to menu plan and get me a list of what they need. They can choose three different meals and rotate through these until they can make the dinner without any assistance from me. I'm having them make their own cookbook (binder) with copies of all of the recipes that they know how to make (dessert seems to be a bigger section :0) As you grocery shop, let them look at sale prices, talk about stocking up on staples, etc. Understanding how much utilities cost each month by recording the bills on a spreadsheet could help get them to turn off lights when they leave a room or take a shorter shower (we can only hope!) Let them know the hidden costs of living, not just the costs of shopping for clothes and extras. I have a friend who has her girls help pay for their own clothes. At 8, they have to cover 1/4 of the clothing price; at 12, 1/2; 14, 3/4; and by 16, they have to pay for their own clothes. They take much better care of them because they had to earn a portion of the money to buy them. If you don't know how to sew yourself, that is a great class to outsource. Find a good sewing machine shop in your area, buy a basic no frills sewing machine and have them take some classes. My sister and I made money in our teens doing buttons and hems for neighbors that had absolutely no sewing skills. Basic sewing is not difficult. All of my girls have made pajama pants, skirts, and a quilt. House cleaning is a natural as they progress through various chores. My goal is that my girls will know how to run a home by the time they leave for college. I have a dear friend who, as the last child in a large family, never had chores around the house because by that time her mom had a housecleaner and did everything while she was at school. She had no idea how to clean a house, and unfortunately her house is a wreck. She has asked me for help several times about basic cleaning and scheduling. I feel sorry for her that she was never taught. I'd jump at the opportunity to teach more home making skills if your daughter has expressed an interest. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Togo Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 The Tightwad Gazette is fun. Also, "Lifeprep for Homeschool Teens" has excellent projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 Just as a suggestion, ask *her* what she meant by home ec. If you plan cooking and she meant sewing, you still won't be hitting the mark. Also remember you can do something cumulatively and mark the full credit/unit at the end. So in 9th maybe you tackle sewing and do enough work to warrant 1/4 unit (1-2 hours a week for a semester, 3 hours a week for 3 months, whatever), and repeat that for 4 years, each year tackling a different interest area (cooking/meal-planning, handicrafts, home organization). Then you arrange her transcript by subject and put 1 beside Home Ec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 16, 2013 Author Share Posted February 16, 2013 Thanks for the ideas everyone. I appreciate the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Just one small suggestion. I bought a cookbook for my dd, and as a part of her home ec credit this year, she has to pick at least one recipe each week, make a shopping list ( taking in to account the cost, using ingredients we have on hand, etc.) shop, and prepare that dish. I've also encouraged her to write notes in the margins of the book that would be helpful the next time she made that recipe. She puts smiley stickers on the ones she got rave reviews for. :) She also sews a lot, crafts constantly, and has organized meals and parties for our history studies and holidays, so the whole family has benefited from her course lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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