Mamacita says: Why are people these days so darned helpless? As I re-re-re-re-re-re-re- read my super old YA novels for the kazillionth time, it impresses me again that almost every pre-teen and teen in these books knows how to cook, sew, and clean a house. Male and female, these kids knew how to do the things everyone should know how to do but hardly anybody seems to know these days, especially kids the same age as the kids in these books. 13-year-old Beany takes her turn cooking for the entire large family, a full week per month. The Melendy kids canned and preserved food. Katie Rose’s mother trusted her to feed and care for a big family while she (the mom) was gone for a few months. Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Grace knew how to cook from garden to table, preserving along the way. Even the poorest of families raised kids who knew how to take care of the house and kitchen. What happened to us? Why are so many people so helpless now?