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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:
FirstWeTakeManhattan · 15/04/2016 12:01

it is not a "truth". It is just your opinion

Sorry, but It is a truth. I said that some people notice. That is true on the basis that people on this thread have said that they do notice. Therefore it is true that some people notice if you don't use an iron. Grin

I agree though, who cares? I don't!

Hygellig · 15/04/2016 12:06

I think I learned to iron at about 9/10 (easy things like t-shirts). Nowadays I mostly only iron school uniform and DH usually does his work shirts.

OreosOreosOreos · 15/04/2016 12:29

DSS is 12 (nearly 13) and I wouldn't make him iron, purely because he's so clumsy I think he'd damage himself (and probably whatever he was ironing and my ironing board).

I also strangely like ironing, I find it quite relaxing (odd person emoticon)!

He does do other things around the house though - he can use the washer and dryer, and is quite a good cook!

At some point I will show him so that he know what to do - I definitely don't want him bringing his ironing home when he moves out!

pearlylum · 15/04/2016 12:30

So espresso, we start to iron so our children don't get judged by judgey people like you? Hmm

Amy other brilliant reason we should iron?

WaitrosePigeon · 15/04/2016 12:32

I'm a total non ironer. I only iron school uniform.

I would see a non ironed uniform as lazy to be honest.

pearlylum · 15/04/2016 12:34

Another judger.

Could it not be that some people don't consider it necessary? That those of us may be doing 101 other more worthwhile things with our kids and our time?

LittleLionMansMummy · 15/04/2016 12:37

pretty my dh taught me to iron men's shirts. He ex RAF. We used to split the task between us before we both realised how ineffective we were at actually tackling the enormous pile!

Lamu · 15/04/2016 12:44

Ironing is an essential life skill, much like cooking and cleaning. And I would imagine a NT 12yo is more than capable of doing their own uniform etc.

It's fine as an adult to decide not to iron I don't, largely because I'm a sahm at the moment but all professional jobs require that you're presentable.

Besides ironing uniform is standing Dc in good stead imo. I'd never allow Dd to go around looking like a crumpled mess. But that's just me.

chipsandpeas · 15/04/2016 12:45

i dont iron unless i absolutely have to - but i was about 12 when my mum showed me how to do it

Marynary · 15/04/2016 12:55

Sorry, but It is a truth. I said that some people notice. That is true on the basis that people on this thread have said that they do notice. Therefore it is true that some people notice if you don't use an iron.

It isn't a truth. They might have notice some people with really creased clothes but that doesn't mean that they notice everyone who doesn't iron. It is clear to me from this thread that people totally overestimate how much others iron.

Marynary · 15/04/2016 12:56

I should have some people overestimate how much others iron.

RuthyToothy · 15/04/2016 12:56

Ironing is an essential life skill

Hardly. Cooking and cleaning encompass associated health and hygiene benefits. Flatness of fabric is a strictly cosmetic issue. As a life skill, it is socially decreed, rather than essential.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 15/04/2016 13:05

You know what Marynary, you seem to really struggle with anyone else's point of view. Despite your protestations that you don't care if people think you look a bit creased, it obviously is a bit of thing for you, whereas for me, it's just…not. I can't match your passion for yelling people down, so I'll leave you to spar with everyone else.

This really should a light hearted thread.

Enjoy your crumples Grin

espressotogo · 15/04/2016 13:13

So espresso, we start to iron so our children don't get judged by judgey people like you? hmm

Amy other brilliant reason we should iron?

So your clothes look nice ??? TBH I couldn't give a flying fart. If you want to walk round in creased clothes - you seem a bit defensive about it though....

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 15/04/2016 13:14

They might have notice some people with really creased clothes but that doesn't mean that they notice everyone who doesn't iron

P.s. no-one actually said this.

Absolutely no one has claimed that anyone notices everyone who doesn't iron.

But why let the facts get in the way, eh? Grin

Marynary · 15/04/2016 13:18

FirstWeTakeManhattan I don't struggle at all with other people's point of view. What makes you think that? I am definitely not shouting. I find it quite funny that some people think ironing is an "essential life skill" and on a par with cooking and cleaning.

Don't you think that if it was actually a "thing for me" I would do it (or probably employ someone else to do it)?

Marynary · 15/04/2016 13:24

Absolutely no one has claimed that anyone notices everyone who doesn't iron.

You claimed that. You said "Sorry, but the truth remains that some people really can tell if you haven't ironed"

OneMagnumisneverenough · 15/04/2016 13:25

I was watching an old movie the other night and it struck me just how informal we've all become. In the film, men and women were all in suits and hats and well attired (even in street scenes, not just the main stars) they probably had far fewer clothes and they were of better quality and were cleaned and pressed/ironed carefully. Nowadays, in most of daily life, people dress far more informally in mostly cheaply made clothes that are often seen as disposable. I guess materials etc have all changed too. I think this has fuelled the current trend to not iron.

For me personally, I prefer everything to be ironed, I rarely use the tumble dryer and I like the feel and look of ironed clothes, I also think they fit better. Everyone else can do what they like but I do think that it's lazy, that's probably a very old fashioned view and I accept that. I am sure they don't care that I am judging them inside my head either.

I don't think spending an hour or so a week ironing clothes really eats into leisure time that much tbh.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 15/04/2016 13:29

Mary those two lines don't half read differently to me Grin

Queenie73 · 15/04/2016 13:35

I'm teaching my two oldest sons to sew and for that you need to occasionally iron things (fabrics before cutting out and to "set" seams and stuff). So they are learning a limited amount about ironing. They are 12 and 14.
When I can be arsed, I'll teach them to iron clothes. I only bother myself for weddings and funerals (apart from when I'm sewing of course). Their father is 64 and he has never ironed anything in his life, which irritates me. Not because I want him to iron, more because it's a sign of the kind of manchild the women in his family expected him to become. I've undone their "good" work by teaching him to cook and clean, so I know he would learn to iron if I wanted him to, but that would involve me doing more ironing than my temper likes.
The only times I've done a lot of ironing are when I've been on maternity leave and in desperate need of something to do. When we were engaged my now DH complained in a fairly lighthearted way that I hadn't ironed his underpants, so I did. With starch. He was a fisherman at the time and from 4am to about 10pm he had to put up with scratchy starched undies. That was mean of me, but he never asked me to iron anything again.

prettybird · 15/04/2016 13:37

I am teaching ds to take a pride in his appearance and to look smart when appropriate (which doesn't have to be all the time Grin).

That includes not wearing crumpled clothes, so that means some (not all) of his clothes are ironed.

Now, if only I could get him to take the same pride in having a tidy bedroom Hmm

Would people really not notice that this shirt was a bit crumpled Confused? Admittedly it's more crumpled than usual because it started raining just as I was going out so it was brought in from the line in a rush and then left in the wash basket to finish drying. When I'm at work (sales/managerial/consultancy type role) I try to present myself professionally - I would feel dishevelled if my shirt was crumpled like this.

At what age should a child start ironing?
lovelynannytobe · 15/04/2016 13:38

My 12yo has been ironing her cadet uniform since she turned 10. It needs to have perfect flares and no creases. She doesn't iron anything else (and nor do I). She knew how to iron before. It is a good skill to have.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 15/04/2016 13:46

I also don't see why it isn't a life skill. As an adult you may choose not to do it, that doesn't mean it's not a skill that is useful for life and worth teaching.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 15/04/2016 13:48

I'm pretty sure that those teaching their children to iron are also teaching them to cook and clean up after themselves and the other things that adults do (or choose not to) and not just saying "fuck it, I'll teach them to iron and they can work out the rest for themselves..." Hmm

There are plenty of adults that don't cook or clean either btw.

Marynary · 15/04/2016 13:59

I'm pretty sure that those teaching their children to iron are also teaching them to cook and clean up after themselves and the other things that adults do (or choose not to) and not just saying "fuck it, I'll teach them to iron and they can work out the rest for themselves..."

Nobody said they weren't teaching them cooking and cleaning as well.

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