Tag: dailyprompt

What’s a thing you wish schools actually taught?

I wish schools still taught home economics. There’s something about watching kids leave high school and realizing that some of them genuinely don’t know how to do basic adult things that makes me think, maybe we should bring this class back.

I know the argument is that it’s the parents’ responsibility to teach their kids how to be functioning adults. And, to a degree, I completely agree. As a parent, it will be my responsibility to teach my daughter how to take care of herself, manage money, cook, clean, do laundry, and generally navigate life.

But I would love for there to be a class at school that could teach my kid something I don’t know how to do.

Because that’s the thing about home ec that I think gets lost when people talk about it today. It wasn’t simply “here’s a recipe, now make dinner.” At least historically, these classes could cover a surprisingly broad range of practical skills.

Some schools had simulated homes, with mock living spaces, kitchens with multiple workstations and appliances, and sewing areas where students could actually practice the things they were learning.

There were practical labs where students learned things like setting a table, doing laundry, ironing, sewing, and constructing garments. You weren’t just sitting at a desk memorizing information. You were actually learning how to do things.

The curriculum could also cover food and nutrition, including meal planning, baking, and cooking. There were lessons on clothing and textiles, such as reading patterns and operating a sewing machine. And there could even be lessons on child care, budgeting, and managing a household.

Now, obviously, some of the old curriculum is incredibly outdated.

I don’t need my daughter learning how to be a perfect housewife whose primary goal is to support her husband. And I definitely don’t think the solution is bringing back a class where girls learn to cook and sew while boys go off and learn something else.

I think everyone should take it.

Boys need to know how to do laundry. Girls need to know how to change a tire. Boys should know how to cook. Girls should know how to balance a budget. Everyone should know how to sew on a button, clean a bathroom, grocery shop, understand basic nutrition, and take care of a home.

And honestly, I’d love for the curriculum to go even further than the traditional home ec classes did.

Teach kids how to make a budget. How credit cards and interest work. How to read a lease before signing it. How to grocery shop without spending your entire paycheck on snacks. How to meal plan. How to do basic sewing and clothing repairs. How to properly clean different surfaces. How to read a nutrition label. Basic cooking techniques instead of just following recipes. Maybe even basic car maintenance and household repairs.

Because there are so many things we assume kids will just magically learn once they become adults.

And sometimes they don’t.

Not because their parents don’t care. Sometimes their parents weren’t taught either. Sometimes they’re working constantly and don’t have the time. Sometimes a kid grows up in a household where certain skills just aren’t needed often enough to learn them. And sometimes you simply don’t know what you don’t know.

That’s why I don’t see a practical-life-skills class as replacing parents. I see it as another resource for parents and kids.

If I can teach my daughter how to cook, great. If her school can teach her how to sew, budget, change a tire, understand a lease, or safely use a power tool, even better.

I don’t want to recreate 1950s home economics.

I want to take the useful parts of it, throw away the outdated gender roles, and create a modern “how to be a functioning adult” class.

Honestly, I think I’d sign up for it now. There are definitely things I still don’t know how to do.

What’s a skill you consider basic, that most people don’t actually know how to do?

Artificial intelligence has become an incredible tool for writers, students, and professionals alike. I use AI grammar editors myself, and I appreciate how quickly they catch mistakes and improve clarity. But lately, I’ve started to wonder if our growing dependence on these tools is causing us to lose one of the most basic skills we were taught in school.

Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure aren’t just arbitrary rules. They’re the foundation of effective communication. From elementary school onward, we’re taught how to write clearly so we can express our ideas, communicate professionally, and understand one another. Yet today, many of us type first and rely on AI to fix everything afterward.

The convenience is undeniable, but it comes with a cost. When software automatically corrects every comma, misspelled word, or awkward sentence, we stop paying attention to why the correction was needed. Over time, those skills begin to fade because we no longer practice them ourselves.

I’m not suggesting we abandon AI. These tools are incredibly useful for proofreading, editing, and catching mistakes we might otherwise miss. However, they should enhance our writing—not replace the knowledge behind it.

If we continue to outsource basic writing skills to technology, future generations may never develop the confidence to write well without assistance. AI should be a helpful editor, not a substitute for literacy. The ability to communicate clearly is a lifelong skill, and it’s one worth preserving, even in an age where artificial intelligence can write almost anything for us.

What’s your biggest dream?

The older I get, the sillier my biggest dream sounds.

I want to do something that makes a difference.

Not in a “change the entire world” kind of way, but in a way that changes someone’s world. I want to encourage people to be a little kinder, a little more hopeful, a little more content with the lives they already have.

That’s why I wanted to be a teacher when I was younger. It’s why I started this blog. It’s why I still want to write a novel someday. It’s why I’ve always wanted a YouTube channel.

I don’t want to be a motivational speaker or give TED Talk-style life advice. I don’t have all the answers.

I want to be the person saying, “Hey, I’m kind of a mess too. Here’s how I’m learning to be content with my life. Maybe something here will help you be content with yours.”

The problem is… I have very little faith in myself.

I recently realized I inherited that from my mom.

Shocker.

Despite that, I still keep coming back to the same dream: I want to build community.

It feels like something we’re desperately missing. There are people trying to create it, and I love seeing that, but it also feels like so many opportunities to connect come with a price tag.

I wanted to join a Silent Book Club, but they met at a café where everyone was expected to spend at least $5 every visit. Five dollars isn’t much on its own, but meeting twice a week adds up quickly.

I joined a women’s walking group and genuinely loved it. Then gas prices climbed, and driving to the meetup every week became harder to justify.

I even considered joining a pickleball league, but by the time you buy athletic clothes, a paddle, balls, and decent shoes if you don’t already own them, it’s another expensive hobby.

Maybe this is something I notice more because I’m broke.

Or maybe a lot more people feel this way than we realize.

I want to find ways for people to spend time together that don’t require constantly opening their wallets. Places where you can show up exactly as you are, without feeling like community is another subscription service.

Maybe that’s the dream I’ve been chasing all along.

I don’t know exactly what it’ll look like yet.

I just know I want to create something that makes people feel a little less alone.

And I believe I’ll find that community someday.

It might take a while, but I think it’ll be worth the wait.

What app eats up most of your screen time — and do you even feel bad about it?

For me, it’s not just one app. It’s two. TikTok and Instagram have me in a chokehold.

When I was working, my entire lunch break was spent scrolling videos. I would tell myself I was just taking a quick break, and suddenly my lunch was over. Now that I’m not working, my screen time has somehow jumped to 10 hours a day, and almost all of it is still TikTok and Instagram. It’s honestly kind of impressive when you think about it- like in a pathetic way.

I did download a game, but if I’m being realistic, I barely touch it compared to the amount of videos I consume every day. Apparently watching strangers organize their pantry, deep clean their house, and tell dramatic storytimes has become my full-time hobby.

I also read that you’re supposed to post every time you open the app to make yourself more intentional about using it. In theory, that sounds great. In reality, no one needs to hear from me every 10 minutes. I would become everyone’s most muted person within a week.

Which outdated technology do you miss the most, and why?

There was something so simple and satisfying about an iPod. I only had the songs I intentionally chose to put on it, so every track felt personal.

Today, with Apple Music and Spotify, I have access to millions of songs, which is amazing, but it can also feel overwhelming. I honestly listen to many of the same songs anyway, so having endless options doesn’t always make the experience better.

Making playlists now can even feel a little performative, especially when they’re shared with other people. Instead of creating them just for myself, it sometimes feels like I’m curating a version of my music taste for others to see.

My iPod was private, uncomplicated, and distraction-free. I could just plug in my headphones, press play, and enjoy the music without notifications, algorithms, or the pressure to constantly discover something new.

Which book have you read more than any other?

Every reader has those books. The ones you finish only to immediately start thinking about reading again. The ones that feel like comfort food in book form.

When I saw this prompt, my first thought was that I’m sure a lot of people would answer the Bible. If you go to church every week and attend Bible study, it’s probably the book you’ve spent the most time reading. Honestly, it should probably be my answer too. But I don’t really count it because, for me, it’s not usually a start-to-finish read. I’m typically reading specific books, chapters, or passages depending on what we’re studying, so it feels different than rereading a novel from cover to cover.

For me, it’s not just one book—it’s a whole tradition.

Every single year, I reread Pride and Prejudice. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of Elizabeth Bennet roasting people with impeccable manners or Mr. Darcy slowly becoming one of the greatest romantic leads of all time. It’s one of those stories that somehow gets better every time I read it.

I also reread Much Ado About Nothing every year. Shakespeare can be intimidating, but this play has always been one of my favorites. The banter between Beatrice and Benedick is still top-tier enemies-to-lovers, and honestly, I don’t think anyone has done it better in over 400 years.

Then, every two years, I used to reread the entire Twilight Saga. Say what you want about Twilight—I genuinely love it. It’s nostalgic, cozy, and reminds me of being a teenager. There’s something comforting about revisiting Forks every couple of years.

Well… there was.

About a year ago, when Hector and I were moving, I somehow managed to accidentally put my Twilight books in the donation box. I didn’t realize it until they were already gone. I’m still not over it. Somewhere out there, someone got a free Twilight collection, and I hope they’re enjoying it because I’m still mourning the loss.

One day I’ll replace them and start my reread tradition again. Until then, Pride and Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing are holding down the fort.

Apparently, I’m just the kind of reader who likes revisiting old favorites as much as discovering new stories. There’s something special about returning to books that have grown with you through different stages of life.