Anyone else doing home-ec?

[helena]

Care to share what you're using? How's it going? What are your goals for the year? 

 

This year I've bought a subscription to Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I think it's going to work out beautifully for us. Every month they have to read at least one article and complete one handicraft or recipe. Easy peasy! At the end of the month they show me what they read and what it was about, what they learned, what they think about it, etc. They also have to photograph everything they make, bake, and cook. This is a busy year for us so this is enough for us. 

 

For August I was pleased to hear that they had read many articles they found interesting. My 15yo cooked this raspberry crepe cake: http://www.marthastewart.com/1076310/raspberry-crepe-cake-nectarines-and-cream. Seriously, it was the best part of summer for me. :) 

 

On a funny note, my 12yo was going through the magazine showing me everything she read, she stops at a page titled something like "Sex After Menopause" and said "I did not read that one one though!" and laughed. AHHH! Oops! This is a woman's Magazine not a kids magazine! I just laughed and said "Well... we all need love" (or something like that..)  :lol:

 

I love this subject. It make our home cozy, more in tune with the seasons, and the handicrafts are a nice addition to fine arts study. It's a much needed step up from kiddy arts and crafts. I miss macaroni art, but I adore handmade lavender pouches. And of course, it's deeply appreciated, to have the girls right beside me helping me run the house. It's an art. And I truly need help. 

 

I'd love to hear what you're doing! 

[PIE!]

This year we're doing baking and sewing from DK books. I LOVE the idea of a magazine subscription though. We might go that route when my kids are a little older.

[MrsH]

I don't call it a school subject, but the kids rotate being my "kitchen helper." My goal is for each of them to take on increasingly more responsibility for the meal. Dd12 can generally follow recipes. Ds8 will scramble eggs, make grilled cheese, cook mac and cheese, and handle salad. Dd5 carries our specific directions, except when she makes mac and cheese (boxed...).

 

I sew and they've each learned some.

 

Love the idea of a magazine for the oldest though. I get taproot, which might work for that.

[Carrie12345]

That sounds like fun!

I've always thought about doing a more "official" home ec, but I haven't had the organizational skills for it.  My kids experiment mostly independently in the kitchen.  Some days are better than others, lol.

When they take interest in other aspects, I do what I can to encourage them.  They wax and wane there.

[Rosie_0801]

Dd is doing "Salad Studies." I bought her a Complete book of salad dressings because I thought it sounded rigorous. :P

[Cosmos]

Every time I read your posts, I wish I could helena-up our homeschool a bit. That sounds really lovely.

 

Last night my ds took a long colorful computer cable to hang in his room as "decoration". Sadly, that's the most home-ec-ish thing going on around here. I will have to live vicariously through the domestic adventures of the rest of you.

 

Oh! Except he did make a cherry pie this summer. It was delicious if a bit soupy. He at least is not intimidated by recipes, even making pie crust, though it does take him a long time. It's hard to find time for that in the school year.

[Eagle]

Ds (6) is learning from Sewing School (http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-School-Projects-Kids-Will/dp/1603425780/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8), Honest Pretzels (http://www.amazon.com/Honest-Pretzels-Other-Amazing-Recipes/dp/1582463050/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409976427&sr=1-1&keywords=Honest+pretzels) and Make:Tinkering (http://www.amazon.com/Tinkering-Kids-Learn-Making-Stuff/dp/1449361013/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409976475&sr=1-1&keywords=Make+tinkering)

 

Ds recently won the best in show ribbon at the fair for his sewing. He is SO proud of himself.

[Penguin]

Every time I read your posts, I wish I could helena-up our homeschool a bit. That sounds really lovely.

 

Same.

 

Well, we have done three weeks of Mr. Q's Advanced chemistry. The labs are kitchen labs, and DS has really enjoyed them. The chocolate cake recipe was fantastic :) I am not sure how long we will continue with Mr. Q, but my son does like baking and cooking.

[Rosie_0801]

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Dressings-Paulette-Mitchell/dp/0020529627/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410039275&sr=8-1&keywords=complete+book+of+salad+dressings

 

We haven't tried all the recipes of course, but so far, so good.

[Arboreal TJ]

My 7 yr old son took over meal planning, he uses Build A Menu. Best thing to ever happen to our family, meal planning is my least favorite chore. My other 7 yr old helps with FlyLady Zone and daily routine checklists. My menu kid has also taken over laundry, he's not great at putting away but he stays on top of getting it clean and dry! My 4 yr old takes her care of our chickens and ducks, she's really good about saying "mom, I want to do it, teach me!"

 

Hopefully they'll be more independent some day but right now I'm happy they contributing. I can't keep up anymore without their help!

[kitten18]

I was a Home Ec teacher but I'm not doing anything formal with my kids yet.

 

I always did an egg unit with my 7th and 8th graders. The American Egg Board has some good info and activities for egg study.

[kitten18]

Ds (6) is learning from Sewing School (http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-School-Projects-Kids-Will/dp/1603425780/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8), Honest Pretzels (http://www.amazon.com/Honest-Pretzels-Other-Amazing-Recipes/dp/1582463050/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409976427&sr=1-1&keywords=Honest+pretzels) and Make:Tinkering (http://www.amazon.com/Tinkering-Kids-Learn-Making-Stuff/dp/1449361013/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409976475&sr=1-1&keywords=Make+tinkering)

 

Ds recently won the best in show ribbon at the fair for his sewing. He is SO proud of himself.

My dd has that Sewing School book. I have looked at dozens of children's sewing books and that one is by far the best I have ever seen.

[ChrissySC]

We call it Life Skills and incorporate a bunch of things too.  We do sewing, cooking, crafts, planting (indoor and out), career exploration, career testing, home, or basic consumer, mathematics (balancing the checkbook, evaluating the savings on a purchase, comparing food costs, etc.), making soap, cultural exposures (museums, nature walks, etc.), repairing items, upkeep on the home .... it becomes a lot of little things about managing their lives and growing towards independence.

 

When they hit high school, we may need to rethink the "label" or incorporate these things into other subject content areas, but we have always had a "Life Skills" time every week - sometimes all day.  It is more of my way of incorporating the unschooling moments and being able to label them in way that I need to label them so that I don't feel like we are doing nothing in a day.

[helena]

Thanks for sharing all your ideas and sources! I've got my library page opened and hoping to put some books on hold. :)

[FriedClams]

Care to share what you're using? How's it going? What are your goals for the year?

 

This year I've bought a subscription to Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I think it's going to work out beautifully for us. Every month they have to read at least one article and complete one handicraft or recipe. Easy peasy! At the end of the month they show me what they read and what it was about, what they learned, what they think about it, etc. They also have to photograph everything they make, bake, and cook. This is a busy year for us so this is enough for us.

 

For August I was pleased to hear that they had read many articles they found interesting. My 15yo cooked this raspberry crepe cake: http://www.marthastewart.com/1076310/raspberry-crepe-cake-nectarines-and-cream. Seriously, it was the best part of summer for me. :)

 

On a funny note, my 12yo was going through the magazine showing me everything she read, she stops at a page titled something like "Sex After Menopause" and said "I did not read that one one though!" and laughed. AHHH! Oops! This is a woman's Magazine not a kids magazine! I just laughed and said "Well... we all need love" (or something like that..) :lol:

 

I love this subject. It make our home cozy, more in tune with the seasons, and the handicrafts are a nice addition to fine arts study. It's a much needed step up from kiddy arts and crafts. I miss macaroni art, but I adore handmade lavender pouches. And of course, it's deeply appreciated, to have the girls right beside me helping me run the house. It's an art. And I truly need help.

 

I'd love to hear what you're doing!

LOVE this idea. We cook and bake a ton. DD and I took cake decorating at Hobby Lobby this summer, which was great. I'm crafty so we craft a bit too. I'm totally stealing your idea, though I may use Real Simple.

 

ETA - We're also building a deck, and dd warmed up by making 2 park benches. We also did siding and roofing on a mission trip this summer. I think that's more shop class though.