“When will we use this in real life?” is an often heard question from students who are tired of learning material that doesn’t pertain to them. For home economics, or Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), the answer to this question is “every day”.  Home economics teaches a variety of topics like home management, sewing, budgeting and taxes, health and hygiene, cooking, and childcare, all of which are necessary for anyone and everyone. People will need to use the majority of these skills throughout their lives.  In 2012 there were only 3.5 million students enrolled in FCS programs, a decrease of 38% from the previous decade. Many blame the continued focus on standardized testing and budget cuts.  Regardless, both Finland and Sweden require mandatory home economics classes. Our district and the U.S. as a whole should follow in their footsteps.  According to a study of 2,000 adults by the Daily Mail, 80% of adults don’t know how to change the oil in their car and 70% cannot sew a button.   A lack of these important classes will only cause an increase in incompetent adults who are uneducated in health and hygiene, budgeting, cooking, cleaning, car upkeep, sewing, taking care of their own homes, and parenting. The truth is that these are not instinctive traits and must be learned.   If classes like geometry or chemistry, despite many of the topics being used only in specific career paths, are required, then classes that the majority of students would use on a weekly or daily basis should definitely be required.   Due to the needed rise of double-parent working homes, adults are no longer able to find the time or resources to teach their own children these life skills; therefore, it should fall upon the school’s shoulders.