desymbol: School In Spain Fights Gender Inequality By Teaching Boys How To Do Essential Household Chores

Everyone should pull their own weight, do their fair share of housework, and should know how to perform essential life skills. However, in some parts of the world, household chores are still seen as something that only women do, leaving some men unwilling or even unable to do them when needed.

A school in Vigo, Spain, called Colegio Montecastelo, is fighting for gender equality with a program that teaches boys and young men essential life skills, including cleaning, cooking, and even sewing. There’s never been a better time to learn Home Economics 101.

Some people thought this initiative was spot-on. Meanwhile, others thought that it actually enforced gender roles because it labeled certain activities as ‘manly’ or ‘womanly’ instead of seeing them as universally useful skills. Still others thought that these skills hould be taught at home, not at school. Let us know what you think of this initiative, dear Pandas, and share if you had similar programs at your schools.

Male students at a school in Spain are taking part in Home Economics lessons

Image credits: Colegio Montecastelo

They learn essential life skills: from ironing to cooking and more

Image credits: Colegio Montecastelo

The goal of the program is to fight for gender equality and to make boys more independent and able to help out at home

Image credits: Colegio Montecastelo

One of the things that the students learn is arranging flowers

Image credits: Colegio Montecastelo

Sewing, a must-have skill in life, is also part of the program

Image credits: Colegio Montecastelo

Those teaching the students include volunteers from the school administration, but some of the students’ dads are also pitching in.

Bored Panda spoke about the importance of sharing chores at home and being a team that supports one another with relationship expert Dan Bacon, founder of The Modern Man. Dan highlighted that it’s not unmanly to help out at home.

“If your gut instinct tells you that you should be chipping in more to help out with chores around the house, then do it. Do it from a place of love because you love the other person and don’t want them to be under additional stress during this time,” Dan explained about the importance of everyone pitching in with chores, especially during the pandemic when some people are still working from home.

“Additionally, if a woman notices that her man is helping out more than normal, she should use a loving approach and compliment him on it, rather than just taking his efforts for granted,” he said. “The reality is, that neither a man nor a woman has to do anything at all in a relationship. It’s all a choice.”

Relationship expert Dan said that when your actions come from a place of love, support, and respect, the relationship strengthens over time and you feel happier together. So chores should never be done with resentment and anger; instead, they should be part of how you support your partner and show them respect.

Let us know which chores you love and hate to do the most, dear Pandas. Personally, washing dishes is like meditation to me, but I absolutely loathe vacuuming and dusting.