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Original poster

Things you can’t believe your teenager doesn’t know

671 replies

Annoyingwurringnoise · 26/12/2022 23:39

My teenage DS, who went to a Church of England primary school, does not know the song Little Donkey. I am utterly perplexed as to how this can possibly be. He’s been a donkey twice in nativity plays, once at preschool and once at school, but he swears he doesn’t remember Little Donkey.

What things have you found out your teenagers don’t know that’s just left you scratching your head in disbelief?

OP posts:
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5
Norfolkungood · 27/12/2022 07:40

AnotherAppleThief · 27/12/2022 07:34

During a game on Christmas day, found out my 19 and 16 year old didn't know who Cameron Diaz was.

Similar thing happened in our house Christmas day. DS didn't know who Brad Pitt was

Krakenwakes · 27/12/2022 07:40

My teens have no concept of history timelines, although they know separate eras. Eg, they don’t know how the Victorians and the Tudors relate to each other, which come first.

Nimbostratus100 · 27/12/2022 07:43

My graduate son had never posted a letter until a few months ago, and was seriously sceptical that leaving it in a round metal box in the street would get it anywhere

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
ILovePigsInBlankets · 27/12/2022 07:48

DS is 15, recently got 8&9s in his gcse mocks.

I held up an aubergine and a cabbage yesterday and he couldn't name either of them

🤦🏻‍♀️

Nimbostratus100 · 27/12/2022 07:48

I've taught for years- here are a few of my "best" memories of class ignorance-

A class of year 8s that thought the national anthem was "London's burning"

A sixth form class that could not between them name the countries in the UK - suggestions included USA, Tescos and Nato

A year 10 class who thought 5th November was a celebration of the victory in WW2

I do find these quite horrifying/amusing, but of course we only know what we are taught, and some facts appear so self evident to us, that it is possible for them to slip through the net, and never be explicitly spelled out to some youngsters - not their fault!

Riu · 27/12/2022 07:50

MadMadMadamMim · 27/12/2022 00:39

My favourite conversation ever with a classroom full of 16/17 year olds was when the idea of Income Tax came up. The majority of them had never heard of this (socially deprived area). They were astounded by the idea that the government took money from your wages in tax and NI (before the days of compulsory pensions).

The best question I got from a pupil was an indignant "But what if you don't WANT to pay it?" Bless. The temptation to say, "Oh they just let you keep it, in that case," with a straight face was almost irresistable.

This isn’t surprising when so many adults think it is the government that pays for stuff and that things like the nhs are free.

BabyFour2023 · 27/12/2022 07:50

marcopront · 27/12/2022 07:31

@SilentNightDancer

Tbh, I would be embarrassed that I hadn't taught my child some of the things mentioned here.

Yes this thread could be titled things I haven't taught my teenager.

I was thinking the same!!

BCBird · 27/12/2022 07:55

My cousin's 19 year old daughter,who later went on to get a first class honours at uni' didn't know where to put a stamp on an envelope!

autienotnaughty · 27/12/2022 07:55

My dd didn't know until recently that Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh is a donkeyWink

Also discovered earlier this year that she had never heard of Neighbours or Jason Donovan!!

marcopront · 27/12/2022 07:58

@PuttingDownRoots

*Otoh... why would you actively teach your children who random actors, models, and singers are? Or random carols?

Thats very different to teaching them the basics of major religions or financial knowledge which have also been mentioned. Or life skills like cooking.*

I haven't taught my daughter carols and she has grown up in non Christian countries but I am not surprised she doesn't know them.

The point I am trying to make is why are people surprised their teenagers don't know these things if they have never been mentioned.

LozzaChops101 · 27/12/2022 07:59

Not my teenagers, but ones I have worked with:

What a radio is and how to use one.

Landline numbers and especially area codes. Absolute confusion when one took down a local number and panicked that it was far too short.

On Christmas Eve a customer came in asking where to find the Christmas Puddings. Teenager thought that he meant “any potential dessert that one could have at Christmas.” Never heard of Christmas Pudding.

I work with a 25 year old who had never heard of the Taliban until this past year.

It’s amazing how many kids we have who have NO practical skills whatsoever. Even down to washing up by hand or changing a battery. It does make me panic a bit about the future 😆

SouthwarkSwish · 27/12/2022 08:03

Neither of my early terms know the Lord's Prayer. Or even heard of it. We're not religious, but I was pretty astounded!

Maireas · 27/12/2022 08:09

SouthwarkSwish · 27/12/2022 08:03

Neither of my early terms know the Lord's Prayer. Or even heard of it. We're not religious, but I was pretty astounded!

Well, if you're not religious and you've not taught them, how would you expect them to know it?.

marcopront · 27/12/2022 08:10

SouthwarkSwish · 27/12/2022 08:03

Neither of my early terms know the Lord's Prayer. Or even heard of it. We're not religious, but I was pretty astounded!

Where did you expect them to have heard it?

Maireas · 27/12/2022 08:11

Some of these points are fair enough, but some parents must think teens just learn by osmosis!

EspeciallyD · 27/12/2022 08:11

I'd never heard of Little Donkey till my DD's nursery class had to sing it as part of their Nativity. Even though I went to a primary school that was big on all the traditional hymns, camp fire songs etc.

Theblackdogagain · 27/12/2022 08:14

I'm a classic over explainer, anything I watch or do with my kids I explainer why and the history behind it. I love facts. They hate that I do it but I hope now at 13 they know a lot of what is meant to be common knowledge. If they don't get told things how are they meant to know?

tanstaafl · 27/12/2022 08:15

It’s amazing how many kids we have who have NO practical skills whatsoever. Even down to washing up by hand or changing a battery. It does make me panic a bit about the future 😆

This.

Maireas · 27/12/2022 08:20

Theblackdogagain · 27/12/2022 08:14

I'm a classic over explainer, anything I watch or do with my kids I explainer why and the history behind it. I love facts. They hate that I do it but I hope now at 13 they know a lot of what is meant to be common knowledge. If they don't get told things how are they meant to know?

You're not an over explainer, you're a good parent!
You're taking time and making the effort to ensure that they have skills and cultural capital.

Kokeshi123 · 27/12/2022 08:27

My teens have no concept of history timelines, although they know separate eras. Eg, they don’t know how the Victorians and the Tudors relate to each other, which come first.

Do you not ever do or talk about anything vaguely historical as a family - talk about history, watch a program about history, visit anywhere that's kinda historical?

My 11yo knows these kinds of basics and she has grown up outside the UK with absolutely zero in the way of classroom teaching about UK history. We did it ourselves, starting with Horrible Histories!

CatherinedeBourgh · 27/12/2022 08:31

Of course the answer to this is 'Then you hire a good tax lawyer and they sort it for you'.

You do need to educate them on the realities of the UK system, after all. You can use the PM's wife as an illustrative example.

Nimbostratus100 · 27/12/2022 08:31

SouthwarkSwish · 27/12/2022 08:03

Neither of my early terms know the Lord's Prayer. Or even heard of it. We're not religious, but I was pretty astounded!

well, it is banned in schools, I believe

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 27/12/2022 08:32

Little Donkey used to make me cry Grin

howaboutchocolate · 27/12/2022 08:36

Teenagers not knowing stuff doesn't mean their parents have never taught them. Teenage brains forget things and kids can lose knowledge over time.

My 3yo can name about 30 types of dinosaur and knows really obscure fruits and veg from her play food. I'm pretty sure she won't retain that knowledge when she's 13.

ShakeYourFeathers · 27/12/2022 08:38

I know a 19 year old who didn't know how to use a landline phone. Didn't realise that you had to pick up the handset from the cradle before dialling it.