Let’s face it: parenting feels harder today than ever. The constant juggle of schedules, balancing finances, planning meals, managing screen time, and still finding time to bond as a family—it’s a lot! But what if there’s more to it than just today’s busy world? What if part of the reason we feel unprepared as parents is because we’re missing pieces that used to be part of a standard education?

So, why does parenting seem harder today? Let’s dig into how changes in education have left gaps, and how those gaps impact the way we parent.

The Shift in Education – What’s Missing?

In our parents’ and grandparents’ generations, schools taught practical life skills right alongside math and English. Home economics and life skills classes were standard, covering essentials like cooking, budgeting, and even basic child development. These classes didn’t just teach young people how to run a household—they set them up to manage real-life challenges.

Over the last two generations, though, these subjects have nearly disappeared. With the emphasis shifting toward academics and career skills, the foundational skills for managing a household and supporting family life got left behind. And now, as adults, we’re finding that these gaps make everyday parenting and household management harder than ever (Home Economics Archive, Cornell University).

The Evolution of Home Economics and Life Skills Education

Let’s look back at what was actually taught. In the 1950s and 60s, students learned practical skills in home economics classes—everything from cooking and sewing to budgeting and family planning. PE classes taught discipline, teamwork, and the importance of routines. These skills were all seen as essential parts of becoming an adult, especially one ready to manage a home and family.

By the 1980s, however, things started to change. With more dual-income households and the rise of technology, the focus of education began shifting toward career readiness. Business classes and early computer science courses edged out traditional household skills (Fatherly). Today, many schools have removed home economics entirely, leaving a huge gap in basic life skills.

And who fills that gap? Parents, who now carry the load of teaching their kids these basics, often without ever having learned them themselves.

Parenting Without a Guide – The Skills We’re Expected to Know

Without structured education in things like budgeting, cooking, or family communication, many of us enter parenthood feeling like we’re constantly playing catch-up. In the past, household management was part of a shared knowledge base—everyone learned a bit about it in school. Today, parents are often expected to figure it out as they go, on top of handling the demands of work and modern family life.

Take communication skills, for example. Past generations were taught conflict resolution, patience, and teamwork as part of their education, through both home economics and physical education (ERIC, ED261984). Now, parents find themselves learning these skills on the fly, often only after facing challenges at home.

The reality is, we’re often learning these “basic” skills while trying to teach them, which can feel overwhelming.

The Role of Screens and Multiple-Choice Testing in Education

It’s not just what’s missing—it’s how subjects are taught today. Over the years, classrooms have shifted from text-based, in-depth learning to shorter, screen-based lessons and multiple-choice assessments. While technology in education offers convenience, it has also minimized the deep reading and critical thinking skills that come from engaging with texts.

Why does this matter for parents? Because the less children learn how to study and process information, the harder it becomes for them to solve real-life problems. A quick answer on a screen or a multiple-choice test doesn’t teach them how to approach a complex issue or even how to research effectively (Faculty Focus).

As parents, we’re left to fill in those gaps, often without the tools we need ourselves.

How This Impacts Today’s Families

Parenting has never been simple, but today’s parents are navigating challenges that past generations didn’t face. Family life requires more than academic skills; it needs practical, hands-on know-how, emotional resilience, and the ability to create a stable home environment.

The cultural shift has left us with higher expectations but fewer resources. Without foundational knowledge of household management, communication, and conflict resolution, today’s parents have to work harder to build those skills from scratch.

We’re essentially being asked to reinvent the wheel in our own homes, without the guidance or structure that would make it easier (Fatherly).

Reclaiming Family Education and Support

So, what can we do? While we can’t bring back old-school home economics, we can seek out resources, build communities, and empower ourselves to learn and share these foundational skills. Parenting may be more challenging today, but by recognizing what’s missing, we can take proactive steps to fill in those gaps for ourselves and for our families.

After all, just because these skills weren’t taught in school doesn’t mean we can’t learn them now. Rebuilding these foundational skills is not just possible—it’s an opportunity to create a stronger, more resilient family.

Together, we can reclaim the missing pieces and redefine what it means to be prepared, empowered parents.