Bring back home ec.

I typed my college applications on a typewriter. I used white out if I screwed up.

I barely had any extra curricular activities and if I did, they were not application worthy.

I was not athletic, artistic, musical or a great student.

I did shitty on my SAT's.

Yet; I got into colleges.

Plural.

None were my first choice but; I got in.

I did know what I wanted to major in at the age of 17, however, I changed that a year into school.

I survived all this and lived to blog about it.

I have a sophomore and a junior in HS.

Oldest is starting to explore schools and you know what I'm learning?

We aren't in 1986 anymore.

SAT vs ACT.

Subject Tests.

AP classes.

Volunteering.

Extra curricular activities (and not just one or two)

Essays.

And more essays.

Excel.

Excel.

EXCEL.

I hope you started your own non profit or invented something STEM like

(another word we didn't use in the 80's.)

(Or at least I didn't).

(Although if I'm being honest, if it wasn't about talking on the phone or my boyfriend at the time, I wasn't partaking )

I hope you're coding, tri-lingual, captain of the soccer team , and playing 3 instruments because this is where we are at.

HOLY HELL. Stop the madness.

What used to be "safety" schools are now uber competitive.

What used to be average; is now failing.

Trades? What?

There is no longer Home Ec., Electronics or Woodworking being mandated.

(I'm pretty sure I also took a Metal class at some point.)

And Art.

What is it going to be like for our incoming Kindergarteners if this is what it is like now?

Remember going outside after school and riding our bikes til it was time to come home for dinner?

Sorry. Can't.

Tommy is busy playing 3 sports, homework for his 4 AP classes, then has SAT tutor and has to practice clarinet.

My heart is heavy.

Our kids are so overworked, over stressed, over stimulated, over socialized, over homeworked that I fear we are losing out on some basics.

I want my kid to learn to mediate conflict.

I want him to learn how to make a new friend, use a screwdriver, talk to someone face to face, figure out how to sew on a button and to gain some self confidence.

(Remember face to face? Now it's screen to screen)

These are the years they should be doing this.

These are the years they should be outside unwinding after school not having to worry that they only have 3 things to put under extra curricular activities.

Listen, I'm all about succeeding.

I'm all about doing your best. Putting in your best effort. Challenging ourselves. Making a difference in the world.

I'm also about wanting my kid to remain a kid for as long as I can have him because before you know it, you're in the midst of a national pandemic and you've been given a good dose of "life is seriously short" and I just want my kid to be happy.

Pick and choose.

Let's cut back some of the pressure though and for the love of god bring back Home Economics.

We all need to learn to sew a damn button.