When I first started living on my own, I had very little home-keeping skills. I could wash the dishes and run a vacuum. I could sweep the floor (though not very good) and I could push a mop around (though not very good). And really, that's about it. All the things involved in keeping a home were so foreign to me - cleaning, cooking, sewing, etc. The first time someone gave me a package of raw chicken I had NO IDEA what to do with it. Sure, I could throw some chicken nuggets in the oven, but a raw chicken?! I was scared of it. Processed, packaged foods were my thing. Raw fruits and veggies? Well ... I could eat an apple, banana or orange, but that's about it. Frozen, canned, etc. I could do that.
I've come a long way since then, but what if I had had these skills BEFORE I moved out on my own? I'm sure things would not have been as stressful ... and messy ... and unhealthy ... and ...
And now I need YOUR help. I'm working on a project and need to know what skills you think would have been helpful for you to know when you moved out of the house. Or, maybe you are one that grew up in a home where the mother or grandmother taught you how to be a keeper at home? If so, please share what skills you think were a great blessing to have just starting off. Or maybe you have a near-teen or teen-aged daughter and are hoping to equip her for adulthood as a keeper at home - what are you hoping she'll know how to do?
I do not mind if you share the same skill someone else has already shared. Be as specific as you can! Thank you!!
I think we are being negligent as parents if we don't teach our children, both girls AND boys, at least the basics of cooking, cleaning, and simple sewing.
ReplyDeleteI will think of some specifics and get back to you.
Dear Joanne,
ReplyDeleteI had the privilege of being the daughter to someone whose specialty was housekeeping. My mother excelled in being thorough, and although at the time I lived in my parental home I regret to say that I spent my days in rebellion, the example and teaching of my mother in homemaking has been very helpful to me now as a homemaker myself.
When i was a young teenager, my mother put me (and my sister had a turn, too) in charge of one supper a week (and did not allow me to do the 'easy' stuff like spaghetti all the time!) She taught me as best she knew how to make a balanced meal, with a vegetable and a fruit along with whatever else we were having. she taught me how to plan ahead and get the meat out of the freezer in the morning, and prepare the baked goods the day before, or the morning of the day I served them.
My mother is very skilled in efficiency. Many times she told us children to take things with us to wherever we were going and put them away. As a mother and a homeschooler now, that training is very helpful to me. I hardly ever go to another room without taking something with me! :-)
Another thing I learned from Mama was how to deep clean a home. Every week we did a good cleaning but twice a year, she would rip rooms apart and clean walls, mattresses, bed frames, light fixtures, windows, etc. While I do not deep clean exactly in the manner in which I learned it, I do find the skills I learned in that department helpful for not missing those things that don't get done every week.
I learned to sew from my mother. She started me out sewing all the straight seams of the garments first. Then I graduated to the curved seams, like sleeves, neck seams, etc. Last of all, I learned how to put in zippers. She made it very clear that I was not going to bring my sewing for her to do regularly after I had a home of my own, and that I was to learn it before I got married and moved away from home. I am thankful that she insisted on that.
I learned how to garden from my mother as well. She preserved alot of our vegetables and fruits every year, and I learned how to prepare foods for the freezer, and how to can them for the shelves. That information is very helpful now.
I don't know if this is what you were looking for, but I just wanted to pay a tribute to my mother here.
As a mother of two growing girls myself, I try to instill in them the homemaking skills I learned. My oldest daughter is responsible for Monday's laundry. it is a skill to learn to keep after the washer in an efficient manner so that the line dried clothes have plenty of time to dry before time to bring them in and fold them in the afternoon (a job that both my daughters have faithfully done for at least 5 years now). I try to include my daughters in the gardening, the cooking and the cleaning as we go along, having them take turns with different aspects of each job (for instance, my youngest daughter just finished making a batch of laundry soap this afternoon: her first time).
Each spring and fall I have my daughters go through the rooms of our house and wipe down all the baseboards and doors. We do the main rooms more often as they are needed. I take turns cleaning the bathroom (usually the least favorite room to clean) with my oldest daughter.
My daughters can actually bake better than I can, as I never was great at that skill. I suppose some things one just learns from experience and is better at than other things (:
One thing I wish i had known better before I moved away from home is NUTRITION. There were so many things I did not know, but I can't really fault my mother because she didn't know it either. i am sure she would have taught me, had she known.
God bless.
Marcia
Becky, I agree. I was blessed when a brother here said he does not let his boys work with him till they know how to work inside ... and not just work inside, but work inside WITH a good attitude. :) I look forward to hearing what else you have to say.
ReplyDeleteMarcia - thank you!!! I plan to print all these out for future ref.
God bless.
From Eleanor on fb:
ReplyDeleteSewing...I knew a good deal, but a bare minimum everyone should be making basic repairs. Button sewing, patching, fixing ripped seams, hemming. The more one knows, the better. Crochet and knitting basics are good and useful, but not vital per se.
You already mentioned cooking...to be able to cook meats safely. Learning different methods, baking broiling, frying, roasting, sautee, etc. To be able to read recipes and figure out new things from a cookbook. Then they can go as far as they like. Being able to properly cut up a whole chicken is a good skill. Teaching them to measure properly for baking is important. Little things like seperating an egg. Introduction to necessary kitchen tools. Explain the difference between the needed items and the unnecessary but helpful ones. That will vary some by opinion obviously. Things like canning I consider important, but are more advanced of course. I was taught them, but a person can get by nowadays without it. But it is a good survival skill.
In general teaching them food storage methods, and teaching them about trying to maintain the best pantry and storage within their means. That way they can learn about prepping for lean times, etc.
Teaching them to thrift shop for clothing and household goods to save LOADS of money.
Teaching them to make their own laundry detergent is easy and cost saving.
Teaching them how to wash dishes by hand PROPERLY. You'd be surprised how many have no idea or waste loads of dish soap and hot water doing it.
Teaching them about what should be done with household routines, how often to change sheets, mop, clean under fridge, clean the oven, etc.
Basic household preventative maintanence (changing furnace filteds and such).
I personally think learning to cook extremely well, be able to can food, make bread by hand etc are important. Learning to sew clothing from used item likes sheets.
How to garden, at least a very basic understanding of it is truly important. Basically teach them to be as resourceful as humanly possible. Though most would say not anymore.
Nowadays a lot of folks don't even own dishes. So anything is a start.
Oh another thing I had to learn both at home and in my home ec class in school....laundry. How to properly sort and read labels. Not overstuff the machines (I need to retake that part...LOL...I am an overstuffer).... How to remove stains, ie...perioxide for blood and only using cold water as heat sets it....stuff like that. Realizing bleach can be helpful, but it will also eat holes in your clothing if you are not super careful.
OOOOO BIGGIE.... Household cleaners. NEVER EVER mixing bleach and ammonia. In fact never mixing ammonia and bleach with anything. Incl vinegar. Recipes online often recommend it and some of them are fine, but sometimes it has killed people in the wrong portions. Basically stern warning not to play chemist.
the basic of cloth diapering. Ways to do it cheaply. Believe me if you get into the fancy ones the cost could intimidate anyone. But it can be done super cheap if need be. A good thing to not have a fear of for when babies come along later in life. Also teaching about homemade baby food and not letting them just assume that the commercial jar food is the only way.
From Tia on fb:
ReplyDeleteSimple mechanics/electronics. Girls should be familiar with the breaker box, and know that appliances have to be plugged in. This was a recent happening to a young lady I know whose roommates thought the washer was broken when it turned out it needed to be plugged in, and when asked about it they said they had no idea you were supposed to plug appliances in.
Find out what are the first questions any mechanic or plumber will ask over the phone when they get an 'emergency' call. On that note, teach your daughter how to plunge a toilet.
You can buy groceries at Save a lot. You do not need name-brand items. That will save a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteMake dresses from sheets.
Hang clothes on the line to dry when the weather is good.
You don't need strong chemicals to clean your house.
Just a few thoughts...
Menu planning & preventing food waste.
ReplyDeleteBabysitting! The first time I ever held a baby was when they handed me my son in the hospital but I had zero baby experience my first 25 years. We were a small family w/ sibling opportunities. Happily I had studied A LOT my first 9 months & got some systems in place. Which brings me to my most important learned skill set: planning. It took me about 7 years to figure out I needed to plan my meals in advance & that little thing got me much more comfortable in my homemaking & has carried over to our homeschool. I second nutrition. These last 3 years I've really been trying to plan according to the season, what is ripe, what is green, when are the wooly bear caterpillars showing up or certain plants & flowers out.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I think of is ATTITUDE. I was raised in a home where the mom was in all practical terms a "stay at home mom" and yet she was a midwife, with her clinic attatched to the house. She would have much rather been a midwife than a homemaker. That attitude came through and she would readily admit that as a downfall. But it has greatly affected me negatively as I view my role in the home. She didn't enjoy homemaking,so didn't teach me much, just told me to go do it. So I had a good idea how to do most things, but the specifics I had to learn myself.
ReplyDeleteThoroughness, cleanliness, finishing a job thoroughly are other things I think about.
Basic car stuff - such as how to change a tire, how to check the oil, how often to change the oil, what to do if your car gets stuck in snow/mud, what to do if your locks are frozen and you don't own any lock de-icer.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU TO ALL!!! This has helped me a lot!!
ReplyDeleteJust the other day as I was checking the oil and adding more into my car I told Brianna, "Oh, this has to be a part of it too." I grew up around all men and know how to do stuff like that ... basic car maintenance and a little beyond. I used to really enjoy helping my dad work on cars, build things, etc. But to cook or bake or clean or anything else? I was very clueless.
Thanks again! We are having fun working on this project and hope to have something to show for it in the not-so-distant future. But, the way time goes, it will probably be a good 6 months at least.
I think canning, and not just basic nutrition but in today's day, NON GMO non synthetic nutrition, I think about learning where REAL food comes from..
ReplyDeletei.e. chicken comes from a cute bird in the back yard, not the grocery store. and fruits and vegetables take lots of work to grow organically..
So I think real sustainable life skills.
In addition to changing diapers and cooking.
Thank you all for your comments!!! This has been a real blessing. I hope to have something to share of our project real soon, Lord willing.
ReplyDelete