INTRODUCTION TO HOME ECONOMICS

DEFINITIONS OF HOME-ECONOMICS

Home-economics can also be defined as a field of study which teaches us how to manage ourselves, our resources and our household. It therefore deals with the management of material and non-material things in the family e.g people, money, food e.t.c. Home-economics can be define as the study of cooking, sewing, laundry and all matters relating to the management of the home.

AREAS OF HOME ECONOMICS

1. Foods and nutrition
2. Clothing and textiles
3. Home management
4. Child development
5. Family living

FOODS AND NUTRITION: this deals with the study of food and nutrients, it include food processing, preservation, preparation, management and service e.t.c. It also prepares people for employment in foods and nutrition related jobs.

CLOTHING AND TEXTILES: deals with textiles, designing and sewing of clothes. It also include wise selection of clothes, personal hygiene and good grooming.

HOME MANAGEMENT deals with the processes of using those things (resources) which the family has to obtain the things needed by the family, such as using money, time and energy which the family has to obtain the family needs like foods, clothing, house e.t.c.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT: deals with how children grow and develop, it also deals with how to care for the children properly.

FAMILY LIVING: deals with how people live in the family, it teaches people how to maintain good relationship in the family. Other areas of home-economics include: (a) Consumer education (b) Housing and interior decoration.

IMPORTANCE OF HOME-ECONOMICS

1. It teaches people how to live a healthy, good and happy life
2. it prepares boys and girls for home making
3. It teaches people how to care for their home
4. It helps people to develop their abilities
5. It teaches people how to plan, cook, serve and eat good food
6. it teaches people how to live a happy life in the family
7. it enables people to be self-reliance

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOME ECONOMICS AND OTHER RELATED SUBJECTS

Home economics draws knowledge from many other subjects. It unifies the knowlede drawn and uses it to form its own body of knowledge. Here are some examples;

1. Chemistry: teaches us about the nutrients in foods we eat, their properties and effects of heat on them.
2. Physics: helps us to understand the working of the refrigerator and electricity in the home.
3. Mathematics: teaches us how to determine quantities and do calculations.
4. Biology: helps us to know about plants and animals, food groups, different part of our body and how they function.
5. Economics: teaches us how to manage personal and family resources to meet our needs and goals.

Other subjects includes: Sociology, History, Geography, Fine and applied arts, Agriculture, Engineering e.t.c.

See also

CLOTHIING STORAGE

CLOTHIING REPAIRS

CARE OF FAMILY CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD LINEN

FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

MAINTENANCE OF THE FAMILY HOUSE