To wonder how someone can reach their early 20's without being able to even boil an egg?

[IceCreamAngel]

Just that really. I could boil an egg at about eight years old! By the time I was 10/11 I could fry bacon and heat up some soup, spaghetti or baked beans on the hob. I could also operate a microwave to prepare myself a ready meal. It wasn't of my parents making me do it either. I wanted to do it all myself, and once I could their response would always be, "ok well you know where everything is".

So quite frankly I'm disturbed that there are young adults out there who can't even manage the most basic of life skills. How the fuck is that even possible? It's appalling and quite sad really.

[DrSethHazlittMD]

I'm 40 and can't boil an egg. But that's probably because I don't like eggs.

I do think there should be more of this sort of thing taught in school, however. Education needs to be about lifeskills too.

[TallulahTwinkletoes]

Agree with dr Seth. I am nearly thirty and despise eggs...

When I left for UNi I could use a microwave, heat up frozen food and use the hob. I've not gone too far past that point, in all honesty.

You want to cook and do those things. I'm happy with my well balanced easy meals

Each to their own

[PixieofCatan]

I only 'learnt' to do it this year. I'm 25. I only do it for my charges because I don't like boiled eggs.

[Noodledoodledoo]

I can cook well from nice dinners at home to catering for 100+ for a week but would have to double check how to boil an egg as I don't like boiled eggs so don't make them often!

Can create a meal from nothing much in cupboard as well!

[TheOriginalWinkly]

Boiled eggs are tricky fuckers. I say this as someone who cooks quite well.

[Noodledoodledoo]

Obviously eggs not popular!

I could however rustle up a batch of cheese scones at the age of 10 with no supervision and love baking!

[specialsubject]

crap parenting, either through inability or spoiling.

bet they can all operate an iphone!

[MrsMook]

I had to do some student cookery sessions for sixth form PSHE, so started with asking if they knew how to boil eggs. They all thought they did and that it was really easy, but most were wrong.

[EatDessertFirst]

Because their mummies and daddies do it for them.
I work in a pub with a relatively young staff. Every single one of them still live at home and all of them bar maybe one have no clue how to look after themselves. They discuss it quite openly and they think its hilarious!! Apparently, I'm an old codger (I'm just 30) because I can look after myself!

Its a combination of overindulgent parenting, lack of these skills being taught in school and just plain idleness.

[Poolomoomon]

I had a martyr mother that insisted on doing everything and if you dared try to help she'd take over immediately or give you a rollicking for doing it wrong then re-do it. No OCD or anything, just an utter utter witch martyr that would stand around in the same breath whinging that nobody helped! Gosh.

As a result when I did leave home I had no idea how to do anything. Couldn't wash up properly (I was so useless I put a flour dredger, that was full of flour, in the sink thinking that's how it was done.) Couldn't operate a washing machine, no idea how to change a lightbulb and yes I couldn't cook. Couldn't even heat beans up without burning them! Burnt instant noodles to a point where I had to chuck the pot in the bin. Pretty much lived off take aways and microwave meals until my first pregnancy tbh when DH had to teach me how to do everything from scratch. By the time DS was six months and being weaned I was cooking DH a full Sunday dinner, nut roast and everything! Now I'm a full on baking and cooking expert, do it every day and its a doddle.

Give people a break. It's either martyr parents, they've been spoilt or they have no interest in learning, I guess. Different people, different skills. Not everyone likes eggs either, evidently.

[TheOriginalWinkly]

In all seriousness, I think its very poor of parents to raise adults so ill equipped for the world. A guy at uni had to ask us how to iron a shirt for a formal occasion, he didn't have a clue.

[IceCreamAngel]

I realise that not everyone likes eggs, but what about those who do like a boiled egg for brekkie but "don't know how to do it" and expect others to make it for them?

[DustyBedhead]

How about not being able to even fry an egg, or operate the washing machine at 21! My DS girlfriend can't do either of the above and it's not lack of ed in school more the fact that her Mum does absolutely everything for her and her sister.

[bberry]

I would say it's parents wanting to keep their children dependant on them.... Maybe they feel they would lose their identity/role/feeling of being needed if they actually equipped their children how to be self sufficient!

I don't agree that it's a schools responsibility, it's the parents responsibility!

I could change a plug/cook/iron from about the age of 12/13!!!

People are always amazed that I am proficient at basic DIY, because I am a girl! I have even been to some classes at b&q...

[BarbarianMum]

Interested or not, everyone needs to learning to feed and clothe themselves, and to tidy up their own mess. The alternative is parasitising dome more competent adult (like so many husbands on here apparently) or drowning in your own filth. Only the rich can afford not to learn these basic skills.

[solidussnake]

My dad has tried to teach me on numerous occasions to boil an egg. I like mine runny and either it ends up too runny or hard, not the way I like it. I can't boil an egg to save my life.
However, I really do think my parents don't want me to leave - i still live at home with my sister but we're not dependent on out mum anymore and she hates it. She tries to live her life through us which then makes us feel guilty if we don't conform to what she wants.
I can change a plug, iron my clothes, cook my dinner, buy everything I need for myself. I just bought a bed for me and DP (we don't even live together, but will soon!) but I can't boil an egg. But I can wash up, fold clothes, hang them out to dry, clean, hoover, dust. I can budget my money.
yy to the mum who does it again regardless of if you do it!
If I try and clean my bedroom at my mums house, she will do it again, to ehr standards. If the bed isn't made properly (kinks in the sheets... ) she will do it again. Washing up she will do again. I tell her to stay out of my space as I am an adult and she can't come to terms with that just yet. she opens my parcels and all sorts - because she only reads the A and not the surnames. Surely she would remember if she'd ordered something? We have different surnames.
I live at home, I can look after myself and be self-sufficient. Mummy doesn't like that.

[LisaMed]

I can make a souffle but can't boil an egg - I use automatic egg boilers.

I can't fry an egg either. They are always tough. Shrove Tuesday is 'test the fire alarm day'. I can make some really good meals from scratch, though, and can bake a passable cake.

[ThomasLynn]

ExP's mum used to chase him out of the kitchen when he tried to cook, because cooking wasn't "for men," and after his parents divorced, he lived pretty much on takeaway or ready meals.
Then XSMIL moved in and food just randomly appeared in front of him.

Laundry though, he did that better than I. I turn white shirts grey in one simple wash.

[halfdrunkcoffee]

I've met a couple of people who just couldn't cook and lived on ready meals. When I lived in London I had a friend who didn't own any pans so she couldn't even have had a boiled egg. Her parents never taught her to cook before she left home to go to university at 20 and then she didn't see the point of cooking for herself, even simple things. I think all parents should teach at least basic cooking as an essential life skill.

[starsandunicorns]

I didnt know how to use a washing machine till I was shown in basic training in the army at 17 1\2 though before hand I was living with parents and mum would do the washing ( used to pull it out and hang it ) mum used to put my washing and my dads work stuff together ( he worked in a factory and I in a warehouse) did ask once how to do it and was told its easier if I just do it
Few of girls in basic were simlar to me

I showed the DC how to prepare veg how to cook how to clean how to use washing machine sort clothes dd1 had no interest where as dd2 liked it

[fuzzpig]

People who don't get taught by their parents - could be because they don't know (or care) how themselves or because they don't let them do things for themselves - I've known both.

Solidus that sounds awful :(

[RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria]

I'm 47 and I can't boil an egg. Since I'm a vegan I hardly think it matters. My kids can't boil eggs either, nobody eats eggs in this house.

OP - can you make hummus from scratch? Can you make soya cheese? Or vegan pancakes? Can you make fishless fishcake pie? Or vegan nasi goreng? Guess what. Different people like to eat different things.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

well I am a great cook but boiled eggs are hit and miss at best.
I think many people esp the 'university classes' are just over pampered by their parents tbh.
My kids can cook a proper Jewish mother style chicken soup, beef and ale stew, and know how to skin a pheasant.
The truth is though, if I left them to it, they would live on packet hash browns and tins of beans

[Bakeoffcakes]

Rabbit I have to ask, what is "fish less fishcake pie"?

[SeasonsEatings]

I was cooking for myself from a young age (13), there was no one at home in the evenings most of the week so I just cracked on with it and haven't really taken the time to think that this wasn't normal.

My Mum went away and I hosted a 3 course dinner party at 17. I think my example is extreme though. A strange combination of neglect and an over zealous insistence by my Dad for me to be "independent" caused by him being orphaned at a young age.

I would hope that my DC would be able to cook basics by the time they leave school. In fact will try to get them interested in cooking with me early on.

I wish I taught how to keep a nice tidy home, I am useless and in awe of other peoples homes.