Boys and Kitchen "girl" duties
By Modestah
@Modestah (11179)
United States
March 29, 2007 4:14am CST
Our son is at a boarding school this year, and they put him a year ahead of what we were expecting. One of the requirements for graduation is home-economis. They train the boys one year and the girls the next. Well, it is the off year for the boys, but since they have him graduating this year he has to take the course. He is the only boy in the class.
He has always been a pretty creative cook and well versed in nutrition - but he has learned techniques for baking breads and donuts and other delights. And just now has started with sewing.
I think it is a great idea that boys are taught basic home skills. Then they should always be able to take care of themselves should the need arise. Even if married, if the wife needs to be in hospital for a duration, it would be a good thing for him to know how to do laundry, cook simple meals, and some basic cleaning.
What do you think - should boys be taught skills that are traditionally reserved as female duties?
10 people like this
23 responses
@biwasaki (1745)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I think in today's society, there really are no set gender roles anymore. More men are cooking and taking care of household duties while women are out pursuing careers of their own. I think schools should teach skills to both genders that are traditionally reserved as gender specific duties. For example: boys should be taught home economics and girls should be taught auto shop.
3 people like this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
29 Mar 07
I don't believe in gender roles, so of course my answer would be "yes, they should". I fully intend for my son to learn how to do everything he could need to do if living on his own.
And you know who will likely teach him those things first? My husband, who in fact has taught me far more about cooking, cleaning, etc than I ever knew before we were together. I'm so happy that he knows how to do so many of those things!
2 people like this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
29 Mar 07
"Then they should always be able to take care of themselves should the need arise."
I agree with you 100% which is exactly why I started teaching my son how to cook, do laundry etc a few yrs ago...and luckily for me i know guys who even at the age of 40 (my brother is the example I use) who STILL can't cook or do a load of wash! Thats pretty sad IMO...pathetic really..dont get me wrong I love my brother but I mean come on..the guy cant even make pasta for crying out loud..his daughter just taught him how to make grilled cheese a yr or so ago...thats nuts! My son is 13.5 yrs/old and he knows how to do laundry properly, he can cook stove top and in the oven and this yr will probably learn how to use the bbq...He also knows how to mend and sew which is another handy skill to have...
I think the old way of thinking is not only flat out silly but also chauvanistic and to an extent damaging really...
2 people like this
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
29 Mar 07
When I was younger we had boys in home ecenomics and also girls took woodworking. I think they have a definate advantage after taking the class. There are so many valuable skills to be learned. I also think boys should be taught all these things at home. All of my brothers cook more and better than their wives..lol Well I have one that isn't married yet but he can cook, clean and do laundry..hehe
2 people like this
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I agree very strongly with you that boys should learn this type of stuff in order to not only take care of themselves but to help out their wife also. I don't think it's such a big deal anymore for guys to have these classes. My SIL is a home economics teacher for kids in grades 5 through8 and all the boys in the school have to take her class. It's not looked at as anything out of the norm.
2 people like this
@misheleen73 (6037)
• United States
29 Mar 07
absolutely !!! I have discussed this many times with my husband. I really want our boys to be able to care for themselves. Even if they have a perfectly healthy wiffe, she may work, she may need him to help out at home. I think we are way beyond what a man or woman is supposed to do in a marriage. Everyone should know how to take care of themselves. I am a firm supporter of this. WOmen should know how to change a tire or the oil in their car ( I know how ) Men should be able to cook & do laundry if need be. I think it just makes for a more well rounded, independent individual !!
2 people like this
@juicemilk (2283)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
I dont see why they shoudn't be, most of the celebrity chefs you see on the television of male.
I've always been to co-ed schools and they always had home-economics (cooking and sewing) as compulsory subjects for the 1st 2 years of high school, just enough so that the boys (well most of them at least lol) could at least learn the basics, after then it became an option you could choose to continue with, and I must admit it was mostly girls that continued on with it.
But it depends on the individual as well, my boyfriend hates cooking and wouldn't know the first thing about sewing, but my brother does most of the cleaning and cooking for him and his wife
1 person likes this
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
30 Mar 07
of course they must also known all this hosuehold chores for themselves and not always depending on wives or househelp...and make them independent especially boys leaving alone..its an edge for man to know those things..and makes females admire them more...
@limosonia1 (1559)
• United States
30 Mar 07
I think this is a very good trate my son is also learning these things but in middle school they have like a tech kinda of thing and cooking and sewing is one of the requirements. Everybody should know how to do these things. I think it is great.
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
30 Mar 07
Yes , I have always thought this as good idea and practice it in our home . When something needs to be done , I feel that everyone chip in no matter what the chore is because boy or girl when you are out on your own you can't always rely on someone else to be there to help you out when you need to get something done . I believe that the whole concept of it being a guys job or a girls job is so outdated and back from the time when they did things differently then we do nowadays .
1 person likes this
@bethmt (419)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Absolutely! I think the days of gender roles are long gone and boys need to learn that skills that used to be seen as primarly for girls. We have two sons and they both are good at cooking and have basic knowledge of house work. I say basic because I work at home and end up doing a lot of housework while they're at school, etc.
Boys need to learn these things just as much as girls do so that they can be independent and self-sufficient when they go away from home.
1 person likes this
@creematee (2810)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I think that it should be required for all students at all schools! How many people do you know that don't know how to cook? They can't sew on a button? I had a professor in college (A food science professor) tell me that she would receive phone calls from people asking her how to cook a can of corn. A CAN OF CORN!! That's just a matter of heat and eat! LOL!
My hubby and I are the leaders of our son's Wolf Pack. One of the things that we are trying to do is teach these boys to at least sew on a button. It's a requirement for one of their badges. :) That's a challenge getting 5 little boys to sit still long enough with sharp objects in their hand. LOL!
My husband likes to cook, and will sew a button if necessary. He likes to sew--actually he likes to make tools to help cut out the fabric so I can sew. :) I'm now trying to teach him how to braid the girl's hair. He hasn't figured it out, but he does a really nice job getting them brushed. :)
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
29 Mar 07
that is funny, my dh does not know how to braid either. When I shared with him, yesterday, that our 4 year old can now braid and joshed that maybe SHE would be able to teach him where I have failed to, he replied why in the world would I ever NEED to be able to braid. Errrr, maybe you will need to make a rope?
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
30 Mar 07
Oh, yes definately. I wish someone would have taught my husband how to cook and do laundry!
I think that all youngsters should be taught these skills. In a lot of schools, they don't even teach girls home economics anymore. I once knew a girl who had no idea how to even turn a washing machine on.
It was a required class for girls when I was in school, many years ago of course, I just wish they would have taught us girls how to change a tire or even the oil in the car!
1 person likes this
@calderon (40)
• United States
30 Mar 07
Yes, I think that boys should be taught basic skills. I think it is important that a boy is able to take care of themselves no matter what. My dad taught his daughters how to change a tire, and check the oil. Some things people in general should know for their own convenience. I have two boys myself, and I would like to know that they can take care of their wives and children if needed.
1 person likes this
@stella1989 (2274)
• India
29 Mar 07
YES...why not after all its 21st century.
If girls can shoulder men then why not men ?
I belive both are equal and must be terated equally.
In India there are still lots of family who belive that girls are meant to be housewife and tkae care of children nothing more than that even if your lacking out of expenses only MAN can work not WOMAN.
Its really a great thing that your son learnt these things .
Afetr the main things is to be independent he now he will never depend on others for geting his work done.
ITS really great.
have a nice day.!!
@Tetchie (2932)
• Australia
30 Mar 07
This is one tradition that deserves to be smashed and it has nothing to do with feminism, but more to do with common sense and practical thinking. This teaching is a good thing.
Even females leave home unable to boil eggs, and males are no different to females. Both genders leave home and fend for themselves without mum's support. Because food is a basic requirement in everyone's life it pays to be able to feed yourself in a responsible manner, ie with knowledge of nutrition. Domestic duties are not gender specific these days so it pays to know how to sew on buttons and cook basic meals.
I'm wondering if there will be a re-emergence of kitchen cooking replacing the take-away/convenience craze. Or am I kidding myself here?
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I think escpecially in this day and age it's important that both boys and girls are 'versitial'. I have 3 sons and 1 daughter - when they were growing up there were no 'girls jobs' or 'boys jobs' the boys learned to cook, clean, do laundry, even simple sewing (mend a rip or sew on a button), my daughter learned to mow the lawn, change a tire, and can even do some simple construction type work. My oldest son's wife although very very smart can't boil a pot of water so it's a good thing he knows how to cook.
My reasoning for this came from when I was still married, I worked a full-time job came home, cooked, cleaned, cared for kids, laundry, and everything else. My husband, now ex, worked full-time, came home watched tv, read the paper, ate dinner, watched more tv... I was not going to have my sons treat their wives this unfairly.
@Caila611 (992)
• United States
29 Mar 07
I think so! I was impressed when my husband told me he knew how to sew a button on a shirt and hem pants. MAN! what a shock. I was also thankful that I didn't have to do it. LOL! It takes the pressure of the women. We can relax and work on being their wives not their mothers!
1 person likes this
@WASYLBRYTAN (78)
• Canada
30 Mar 07
When I was a small boy my mother taught me how to cook and sew but I would have been laughed out of school if I took Home Economics in the late sixties and early seventies. It just was not done back then. But things my mother taught me come in handy now that I am a single father.
@paragmay (3)
• India
30 Mar 07
Hi this is Parag from delhi,,
well to add something more to this topic, i will say if a boy cannot make simple meals for himself, the whole credit goes to his mother..
Because in school days when we come from school, mothers think that we are coming from a great war.
A good and tasty menu is ready for us everytime....
the moment we say something, we get that....
or in the morning this is a normal question from mother to us that WHAT WOULD U LIKE TO HAVE IN LUNCH ? ........
I think these kind of questions keep boys away from kitchen..
