For fun: What life skills do your teenagers lack?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 36 yr old professional and never learned how to iron. I use a steamer when necessary. Or the dryer.

+1. I don't even know what a steamer is, unless you mean that thing I've seen used on wedding dresses just before the brides put them on. I just use the dryer.
DH made me iron my linen pants a few weeks ago. He had to show me how to turn the iron on. In my defense, he did buy some fancy-schmancy iron. I know how to turn on a regular iron that you just plug in.

I'm inattentive ADD to a T. Thank god for prescribed amphetamines or I'd never be able to stay gainfully employed. Problem is I often run out because by the time I remember to make an appointment to get my refill scrip, I'm already too low to last until I can get an appointment.

You have to be careful to use the proper setting on the iron or you will scorch your clothes. Most clothes these days do not need ironing thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 36 yr old professional and never learned how to iron. I use a steamer when necessary. Or the dryer.

+1. I don't even know what a steamer is, unless you mean that thing I've seen used on wedding dresses just before the brides put them on. I just use the dryer.
DH made me iron my linen pants a few weeks ago. He had to show me how to turn the iron on. In my defense, he did buy some fancy-schmancy iron. I know how to turn on a regular iron that you just plug in.

I'm inattentive ADD to a T. Thank god for prescribed amphetamines or I'd never be able to stay gainfully employed. Problem is I often run out because by the time I remember to make an appointment to get my refill scrip, I'm already too low to last until I can get an appointment.

As someone else with ADHD, let me just say, this is the cruelest thing. Our meds being controlled substances and thus requiring tons of executive functioning skills we don't have in order to... improve our executive functioning skills with meds.

[Anonymous]

She didn't know the word clothespin, "you know, one of those wooden clip things you have".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interestingly, a lot of these things are no longer useful life skills, or soon won't be, or will only be in limited circumstances. I don't know how to use a mimeograph machine, either.

Dishes? Laundry, Taxes? Cooking? Yeah totally obsolete

Are your reading skills obsolete? That poster said some or a lot. Not all

[Anonymous]

Okay my kid was only in 3rd grade when this happened but it’s pretty relevant.

We get to the hotel room and she’s looking around. Opens the closet “oh look - a surfboard!”

Clearly there is no ironing going on in my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay my kid was only in 3rd grade when this happened but it’s pretty relevant.

We get to the hotel room and she’s looking around. Opens the closet “oh look - a surfboard!”

Clearly there is no ironing going on in my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interestingly, a lot of these things are no longer useful life skills, or soon won't be, or will only be in limited circumstances. I don't know how to use a mimeograph machine, either.

Dishes? Laundry, Taxes? Cooking? Yeah totally obsolete

Are your reading skills obsolete? That poster said some or a lot. Not all

I actually don't see anything listed that is actually obsolete prior to that post. I think you are lacking somewhere

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't jump over a chain link fence.

Yes, and mine can't hotwire a car. Thank god she can jump a turnstile. Why on earth would anyone NEED to jump a chain link fence if they're following rules?

Because the gate is locked, of course.

Maybe if the gate is locked a person shouldn't be going in.

or the gate is too far away... who can't jump a fence....

now we use to walk the fence that is a real skill.

[Anonymous]

My kids are too young to have many life skills yet, but my high school friend ruined her car's engine because nobody ever told her the oil would need changed. Her parents were divorced and mom assumed dad was taking care of it, dad assumed mom was taking care of it, and my friend was never given basic car knowledge like "change the oil."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are too young to have many life skills yet, but my high school friend ruined her car's engine because nobody ever told her the oil would need changed. Her parents were divorced and mom assumed dad was taking care of it, dad assumed mom was taking care of it, and my friend was never given basic car knowledge like "change the oil."

Didn't she wonder what the little light on the dashboard meant? Makes you wonder if she'd pay attention to the check engine, low air and door ajar lights.

Sorta scary when you think about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cutting an onion. DS (14) attempted this recently and did it all wrong.

https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Cooking+Tools/Fruit+%26+Vegetable+Tools/Food+Chopper/2585

Get this for his birthday - chops onions really well and without tears.

[Anonymous]

This is a fun thread. We try to teach our 10 year old life skills, but it’s hard to remember that not everything we know is obvious to them. I do remember him excitedly telling me about riding in an old car with crank windows and manual locks. He thought he was describing something I also would find amazing and strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is 18 and headed off to college in the fall. I thought I'd done well. He does his own laundry, can write a professional email, make a doctor's appointment, pick up a prescription, unclog a toilet, meal plan and strategically use coupons. Hell, he did his own taxes this year and mailed them with an actual stamp he purchased. Then, it happened. He was at work with a dead cell phone and needed to make a call. He tried to use the office landline and simply could not figure it out.

I had failed to teach him to dial "9" for an outside line.

To be fair, that's not something most people learn until they work in an office. You don't have to do it on a home land line phone. I didn't know this until I started working in an office one summer in college.

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Balance a checkbook.

Who is using checks in 2020? People barely use cash, let alone checks.