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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask how much you could do round the house at 21?

160 replies

StupidMistakes · 08/12/2013 23:05

Did you
*Know how to use the washing machine?
*know where the fuses were?
*Know how to reset the boiler?
*know water has to be paid for?
*Know how to wash up?

Three of the above things are acceptable not to know but seriously my flat mate at 21 didn't know how to use a washing machine, where the powder went or the difference between fabric softner and washing powder!!!

OP posts:
samithesausage · 09/12/2013 06:28

*Know how to use the washing machine?
No we never had one, I can use the launderette machines. I have a twin tub now.

*know where the fuses were?
Yes. Was never allowed to touch them. Even as an adult.

*Know how to reset the boiler?
Never allowed to touch the boiler

*know water has to be paid for?
Yes.

*Know how to wash up?
Yes

I was never allowed to do anything house related because it was always assumed I would break or mess it up. We never had a washing machine and I wasn't allowed to touch the spinner.
It all changed when my mum was diagnosed with cancer and I had to learn everything!

Morloth · 09/12/2013 06:29

I was married and had moved overseas at 21.

DH was 23 and could also do all of those things.

Because we are not numpties.

talkingnonsense · 09/12/2013 06:41

Where did you grow up oh well? What was it like?

Bakerof3pudsxx · 09/12/2013 06:43

I could do all of that

I lived alone at 19 but tbh coukd do most before that

youbethemummylion · 09/12/2013 06:49

All of the above as lived away from parents since 18. The only 21 year oldsI know who would struggle with those things are the ones still living with parents who have never thought it a good idea to teach them these things.

nowahousewife · 09/12/2013 07:04

21 was a lifetime ago but

*Know how to use the washing machine? Yes but it was in an outside shed so bloody miserable using it in winter.
*know where the fuses were? Our student house had such a dodgy old fuse board that we kept several rolls do fuse wire next to it and were all adept at rewiring.
*Know how to reset the boiler? No, as in the country I grew up in boilers ran on electricity (when the fuses hadn't blown Grin)
*know water has to be paid for? It didn't have to be paid for separately - think it must have been part of our rates which were included in our rent.
*Know how to wash up? Yes and we even had a rota in our student flat.

wonkylegs · 09/12/2013 07:09

All of them - I bought my own house at 19 and became a landlady so at the end of the day was responsible for sorting all sorts of problems including fixing toilets.

wonkylegs · 09/12/2013 07:12

One of the 1st things I did buy though was a dishwasher so we didn't have to do the last one. Best money I ever spent on that old house & stopped all arguments on the subject.

Lavenderhoney · 09/12/2013 07:14

I left home at 16 and couldn't make toast:) never mind the magic of clothes left on the floor and being replaced same day all clean and ironed. Had never even seen anyone iron.

At 17 I was an old hand at everything in the house, full time job and sorted my own stuff out.

Twattyzombiebollocks · 09/12/2013 07:14

All of those. I could also cook a full Sunday roast, change a wheel and check my oil and assemble flat pack furniture.

Sparklymommy · 09/12/2013 07:16

At 21 I was married with a two year old. I have known all on that list since I was about 15, and did the dishes from about 8.

MPB · 09/12/2013 07:20

I knew how to do all of that, I left home at 18 to go to University and then bought my own home at 22.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 09/12/2013 07:25

I bought my first home when I was 20 so yes I knew all those things at 21.

Poppylovescheese · 09/12/2013 07:42

I had a baby at 20 so could do all of those. In fact I could do them at 16

Joysmum · 09/12/2013 07:47

My DD aged only 11 can do all that except the boiler. IMO it's piss poor parenting if children get to adulthood without basic life skills/knowledge.

Sarahplane · 09/12/2013 07:53

Everything apart from reset the boiler. I was living with my now dh and had a child by 21.

EvilRingahBitch · 09/12/2013 07:55

I knew most of that, but would defend the washing up thing a bit because washing up a full sink (as opposed to a single saucepan) is an actual skill that you need to learn if you've always lived in houses with dishwashers. Only takes 5 minutes to learn you understand, so your housemates are clearly lazy sexists entitled sods who need a fire lit under them.

In a house with 4 adults I'd say a dishwasher is well worth it. Get one, read the manual together and make it clear that you are not the dishwasher fairy and you will only be stacking your own stuff. Work out a house rule about unloading and putting away.

valiumredhead · 09/12/2013 07:56

Everything as I'd lived on my own since at 16.5.

sydlexic · 09/12/2013 08:00

I could do all of that at 10. I had a thrown in at the deep end sort of childhood.

My DS had food tech lessons and didn't know how to wash up, he lives a far more pampered life.

nagynolonger · 09/12/2013 08:00

I married at 18 and so was paying a share of the mortgage and bills.

I'd been doing all my own washing from age 14 after a massive bust up with DMum over a jumper she had ruined in the wash.

We didn't have a boiler. Just a gas fire and an immersion heater. No heating upstairs. That was the norm in the mid 70s.

Fuses. I knew where they were but would have let DH sort any problems.

Washing up. Anyone can wash a few pots up surely.

losersaywhat · 09/12/2013 08:03

All of them, we had our own house by the time we were 20. I knew water was paid for as part of council tax but didnt know until a few years ago that other countries pay for water seperately and can have water meters.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 09/12/2013 08:04

I still lived at home at 21 but of course, I knew how to do all of those things. I lived at home because I was ill and needed care but I wasn't allowed to be pampered. If I was well enough, I was expected to do it.

whatever5 · 09/12/2013 08:17

Those things aren't rocket science so you would expect any adult to be able to work it out if necessary when they leave home (if not before). It has nothing to do with age.

maparole · 09/12/2013 08:19

I could do all of those, plus ironing, hoovering, etc etc, by the time I was 11 or 12; my parents both worked and it was always a case of everyone mucking in with all household tasks.

I find lots of younger people cannot wash up because they have always had dishwashers: I once shared with a girl who washed everything under a running tap until I suggested filling up the bowl Hmm.

I don't understand parents who do not teach basic life skills ... what the Hell are these poor kids supposed to do when they leave home?

starofbethlehemfishmummy · 09/12/2013 08:24

Yes.
I was in a student house and there was no central heating (storage heaters) but we would all reset the gas hot water heater which went out all the time.

Water want metered then but there were annual "water rates" which were paid by the landlord