At what age should a child start ironing?

[Boogers]

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?

Sure, but ironed t-shirts make everyone look like Sheldon or Niles Frasier. Not good, surely?

Who? I'm thinking more Audrey Hepburn tbh

And ironed jeans are pure Alan Partridge.

Sadly nothing on earth could make me look like Audrey Hepburn. If ironing did, it'd be worth it...

Why the fuck does anyone need "teaching" how to iron? It's not a "skill", it's just something you do if it's necessary.

As for burning yourself etc, who the hell wouldn't flinch from the iron the very second they brushed their skin against it. The risk is minimal.

We can but try. I don't mean ironed creases though in jeans just getting crumples out.

I had girls and 1 boy, stopped ironing for them when they started secondary school. When my son first started, he used to iron his school shirt by only doing the bit that could be seen beneath the v neck of his jumper. All my kids could cook, wash and iron when in their teens, just essential skills for life I think.

I almost never iron - fold out of the tumble dryer, don't buy stuff that needs ironing, no school uniform here.

My 10 yo DD sometimes irons things - she claims to enjoy ironing but only does it once in a blue moon. I'd never ask her to iron anything of anyone else's but she is quite capable of ironing.

My 8 yo DS1 can also iron in a basic sense, though rarely does owing to not giving a stuff and spending most of his life wearing jogging trousers or shorts and and t shirts and getting caked in mud.

Both kids had to iron at school in year 2 when they also learnt to weave :o . We live in Bavaria (Germany) :o :o :o

How is ironing pointless? Even non iron clothes need ironing. It's very easy to tell if something hasn't been ironed, it looks awful!

Ironing is just a chore like every other but it does need doing and does make a difference. DS1 can iron at 12 and DS2 will learn in a few years' time.

Potter you think it needs doing, you care about it - that doesn't mean it needs doing. Vast numbers of people manage to live happy and fulfilling lives and hold down good jobs without ironing. You may think they look awful, but they probably couldn't give a stuff and think that ironed jeans and T shirts look awful.

Its a matter of personal choice unless you have a shirt and tie job (which probably these days most people don't, even if they work in an office, which many, many, many people don't...)

Loads of people need to look smart for work. It DOES matter. Don't tell me personal presentation isn't important. It so is!

I'm 23 and can't iron to save my life... I just hang stuff up when they are drying!

About 12, for shirts. His DF should teach him, and explain that women can't be trusted to iron shirts properly.

Cadets of various kinds will be taught to do it obsessively.

I was doing tea towels, hankies and pillow cases when I was 6 or 7. I remember doing it in the dining room at a house we moved from when I was 7. By 12 I was expected to do my own clothes, Aswell as anything else that needed doing at the time.

Marlon Brando's physique sorted out any wrinkles in his Tshirts.

I'm assuming that Brownies and Guides aren't taught to iron these days? There'd be hell to pay if they were going off this thread

Aw memories. My dad does his ironing on a sunday in front of the TV. He used to have me do the collars and cuffs and then watch and chat while he did the rest. I must have been about 12 at that time.

DP is very slow at ironing, but I think he just figured out how to do it for himself when he left home.

Mine learned to iron for Cubs at 8.
Never ironed anything since, but then I only get the iron out once or twice a year.

To me ironing goes with car cleaning and window cleaning, it's really not an essential chore. I'd rather they did something more useful.
How do you get the creases out? Shake and hang and none of us really actually care about creases.

I stopped ironing for mine when they went to 6th form. DD improvises and uses her straighteners but DS is really quick and worked for an ironing service when he was at uni. He's nearly housetrained - he changes his sheets weekly and cleans the bathroom but never tidies up or dusts.

I was using my Mum's twin tub (one part wash/one part spin) that you had to drag and attach to the tap by 10. Ironing then as well.

I'm can't believe the amount of people that don't iron. I iron as I wear as I lack storage space for the two of us so even if I did a big weekly iron it would come out of the drawer or wardrobe crumpled. I cannot stand not looking neatly presented and my clothes nicely ironed. (I'm only 40 and a young one at that!)

The only thing which doesn't sometimes get ironed is my Partner not bothering with his t-shirts because I they dried nicely with no crumples.

At 12:

Ironing
How to use the washing machine
How to make a bed
How to make a hot drink
How to cook basic food
How to clean/hoover

How is ironing pointless? Even non iron clothes need ironing. It's very easy to tell if something hasn't been ironed, it looks awful!

It doesn't look awful if you know how to dry things properly so that they don't get really creased. I bet that many people you know don't iron or rarely iron and you have never noticed. Ironing will make some clothes look slightly better but many people (including me) don't think it is worth the effort.

I'm can't believe the amount of people that don't iron.

If you haven't even noticed that many people don't bother it shows that ironing is really not essential.

I'm still puzzled as to why anyone needs to "learn" how to iron. Surely it just needs a bit of common sense.

I think that 12 is a good age to start learning. I think that ironed clothes look better on than clothes which have not been ironed; gives a more groomed appearance. I don't see ironing as a pointless chore, rather, it's a necessary one.

If he's willing and has a go at ironing his own clothes, I think that's great!

I notice when people haven't ironed. I've sent Partner back up to iron something before.

But then I'd start the bun fight about creases in shirt arms again for non-iron shirts and do we really want to go there?

I work in professional but reasonably casual environment. I wear smart jeans and a blouse most days. I prefer both to look perfectly ironed.

It's a personal preference.

I just took a wash straight out of the washer. The majority of it will still need an iron to look wearable imo.