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Original poster

At what age should a child start ironing?

558 replies

Boogers · 13/04/2016 19:13

H and I had a big argument last night about the things that DS(12) can and can't do. I said DS should be learning how to iron by now, to which H strongly disagreed.

I remember ironing my dad's hankerchiefs when I was about 7 or 8, and when I was about 12 or 13 I was ironing my school uniform on a Sunday evening (in autumn it was 5 shirts, 3 box pleated skirts, 1 blazer, in summer it was 5 dresses and 1 blazer).

DS had no issues with co-ordination or ability to sense hot and cold, there is no reason why he can't learn to use an iron. H says that he and his brother never ironed when they were younger (his brother is 40 and has never ironed in his life; his parents, my in-laws, do it all for him).

Who is being unreasonable here, me or H? Should I encourage DS to learn how to iron?

OP posts:
Mumandmummer · 13/04/2016 19:13

I'm 30 and I've not started ironing yet.

Maryz · 13/04/2016 19:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moggiek · 13/04/2016 19:16

YANBU. Time for him to learn.

pointythings · 13/04/2016 19:16

Never. Ironing is a voluntary activity for obsessed people, not a life skill. I have no intention whatsoever of teaching my DDs to iron, and they are 13 and 15. Life is too short.

PennyHasNoSurname · 13/04/2016 19:17

His future wife or husband will thank you for it.

Its good to learn chores.

GreenMarkerPen · 13/04/2016 19:18

never
ironing is totally pointless imo.
but if they want to wear ironed clothes 10 is a good age to start learning.

Ameliablue · 13/04/2016 19:19

Yanbu
Even if you don't iron often it is still useful for certain things.

CMOTDibbler · 13/04/2016 19:19

My ds is 9 and does pillow cases, simple garments, and is learning to do shirts currently.

We don't do a lot of ironing, but its important to learn.

Dutchess61 · 13/04/2016 19:20

I taught my DS at 12. I also hate ironing but look like a sack of shit in creases.

YokoUhOh · 13/04/2016 19:20

I never iron. It is completely pointless wife work. Irons give me the heebie-jeebies with 3 yo DS running around: they're extremely dangerous. Encourage him to buy non-iron shirts, or take them to the dry cleaner.

RobotMenu · 13/04/2016 19:20
Shock

I never iron. Pointless.

whattheseithakasmean · 13/04/2016 19:20

Never. I don't iron. I agree with Maryz I have taught my DDs how to crumple a corner of an item in a shop to check if it will need ironing - a far more useful life skill.

OddBoots · 13/04/2016 19:21

We don't iron much, only pillow cases (just a habit for probably flawed hygiene reasons) and shirts but my DC started doing their own aged about 10 - around the time they moved up from Cubs to Scouts. They have never had an injury but I did have to fold away the board for them when they first started as it has a bit of a knack.

sonjadog · 13/04/2016 19:22

I learnt in my mid-teens, I think. But that was 30 years ago and fabrics have changed a lot since then. I maybe iron something once a year now. I don't think it is an essential lifeskill like it once was. Does anyone use hankies that need ironed any more?

Oysterbabe · 13/04/2016 19:22

I haven't learnt yet. I'm 35.

Jenijena · 13/04/2016 19:23

His mother had boys, and sadly this attitude of not teaching sons to do basic tasks (also includes changing sheets on bed, cleaning a toilet) seems common in a certain generation of Mothers Of Boys.

I rarely iron, but you need to know how to, and 12 is plenty old enough to learn...

DaisyAdair · 13/04/2016 19:23

I think my son was 10 when he started ironing his school uniform.

Not iron? How can they look smart for work?

OneMagnumisneverenough · 13/04/2016 19:23

My two boys started when they started high school. Shirts first year and trousers the next. If you can do both those things you can do anything. YANBU. it's a skill for life no reason for them not to learn and 12 is old enough. I used to earn pocket money by doing my older siblings stuff for them for nights out. And that was in the days of massive flares.

pointythings · 13/04/2016 19:24

sonja hankies? Virus factories. Boak. Catch it, kill it, bin it.

JosieGrossie · 13/04/2016 19:24

I don't own an iron! If his clothes need to be ironed, I see no problem for a 12 year old to learn how to do it.

Twooter · 13/04/2016 19:24

I think it's the right age. I taught my dd1 when she was off sick from school aged about 9. Very rarely does it but at least she knows how to.

WonkoTheSane42 · 13/04/2016 19:25

Never. Ironing can fuck off.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 13/04/2016 19:25

And they've changed their own beds since they were very young. They can run a Hoover too but I'm ashamed that they don't do a lot more and they probably should.

BarbarianMum · 13/04/2016 19:26

Mine will be learning just before they start secondary so they can iron their own uniforms.

ModreB · 13/04/2016 19:27

DH learned to iron at 10yo. I was 11yo. But both of us learned to iron "properly at work, in our 20's and are better for it.

All DC's learned to iron when they went to high school, so about 10, 11 yo.

So, now, unless its a wedding, they do their own.