Description
Not Your Mom’s Home Economics Course Overview
Every parent’s question is: “Is my high schooler ready to handle life in the real world?”
The interaction with our families and how we handle the inevitable day to day problems will determine how successful we become as contributors to society. There are essential building blocks that place an individual on that solid foundation. This Home Economics class can help!
In the high school level “Not Your Mom’s Home Economics Class”, students will learn skills to help them navigate successful living on their own.
What Your Student Will Learn
- Responsible independence
- Time management in a social media world
- Healthy eating and hygiene
- Gardening and food preservation
- Family life and marriages that last
- Servant leadership in the home
- Financial decisions and budgeting
- Filing taxes
- Basic home and vehicle maintenance
A large part of the class will cover practical applications for household management including fixing faucets and toilets, changing fuses, installing a light fixture, changing furnace filters, etc. We will even hit the garage with fixing a flat tire and changing the oil. Yes, they will be ready, not just to handle life in the “real world”, but as confident and thriving adults.
Watch a Sample Class Session
Course Structure
This life skills class for homeschool students is designed to be highly project-based and practical, helping students build real-world skills they’ll use every day. Rather than relying on a traditional Home Economics curriculum, this course was intentionally created to cover a broader, more meaningful range of essential life skills for teens.
The class is thoughtfully organized into focused units:
- 5 weeks on personal responsibility
- 2 weeks on personal finance and money management
- 5 weeks on home and basic car maintenance
- 3 weeks on family life from a traditional, biblical perspective
Each section is designed to give students hands-on experience and build confidence in everyday responsibilities.
Supplies are simple and practical. Students will need groceries to prepare one meal per week, helping them develop confidence in the kitchen. In addition, each student will complete a home maintenance project of the parent’s choice—such as painting, cleaning gutters, replacing furnace filters, or similar tasks—giving them valuable experience in maintaining a home.
Required Materials
Two reference books are used throughout the course. They are not required reading each week but serve as helpful guides.
- How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding and Maintaining Your Home by Charlie Wing
- Home Economics: Vintage Advice and Practical Science for the 21st Century Household by Jennifer McKnight Trontz
- Home Ec for Everyone: Practical Life Skills in 118 Projects by Sharon & David Bowers
Additional supplies include groceries for weekly meal preparation and materials for selected home maintenance projects.
High School Credit
- 0.5 credit
Recommended Grade Level
- Grades 9–12
Prerequisites
- None
Estimated Workload
90-minute live class + 1–3 hours per week + one major project assignment
What Families Are Saying
“Great exercise for all of us! It spurred conversations about saving for emergencies and what happens when you have more month than money.”
“These boys are making yummy meals every week! Homemade mashed potatoes, baked potato soup, cornbread from scratch — delicious!”
“It really showed the importance of teenagers learning these life skills.”
“Amazing teacher and godly woman. Love her!”
“She is learning so much and having so much fun in the process.”
