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?

Most people don't look like a crumpled mess, though. Not everyone wears a cotton shirt to work; there's plenty of workwear that doesn't need to be ironed if dried strategically.

Unless one of the non-ironers on the thread wants to come forward and admit to having been sacked for their slatternly ways.

I remember wanting to learn to iron

My Mum set the ironing board up on the lowest setting and let me loose on Dad's hankies.

I can't iron for shit though.... I can make something very creased look less creased but I wouldn't be able to iron a shirt for example.

I iron what I can't get away with not ironing!

You do not need to iron to avoid looking crumpled. And there are lots of professional workplaces where appearance is less important. I work in health research and the dress code is smart casual - no ironing required. We are all absolutely professional. Substance over style any day.

Besides, if you really need to learn to iron as an adult you can always just learn it is not rocket science.

OK I don't iron most things agree it is one of life's timewasters BUT it doesn't mean I don't know how to do it. In fact its more important for boys than girls in my view given they want flat shirts. Send him to Army Cadets they will straighten him out - ha ha ha

I'm not sure what world some posters live in. In most professional jobs, if you turned up looking like a crumpled mess, you'd be given a warning, then quite rightly fired. It gives the wrong impression. Simple as that.

I'm not sure what world you live in if you think that only people who iron have professional jobs.

The most important life skill related to ironing that people appear not to have, is not judging people on their appearance. Until you teach yourself, let alone your kids that, leave the iron under the stairs.

The most important life skill related to ironing that people appear not to have, is not judging people on their appearance. Until you teach yourself, let alone your kids that, leave the iron under the stairs.

This is my favourite quote of the entire thread

fredfredgeorgejnrsnr

Brilliant!!

Marynary- women who wear professional iron not required clothes, tumble dry & hang up. It's that simple! If you don't iron, you buy your clothes accordingly, you don't turn up in a crumpldd linen jacket!

Oh well, I refuse to set my standards by the lowest common denominator just to make other people feel better about themselves.

Different things are important to different people. There are plenty of the non-ironing brigade judging people who do.

Using an iron doesn't mean that you are inherently judging others - how ridiculous.

The judging on this thread is from the ironers- and they have freely admitted that.

We are the "lazy " ones- remember, the ones with the low standards.

Oh well, I refuse to set my standards by the lowest common denominator just to make other people feel better about themselves.

I don't think anyone suggested that, did they?

I don't need anyone else to adjust their modus operandi to make me feel better about myself. Luckily I've never given a flying fuck about superficial judgements. It's a very happy way of life.

I have some tailored dresses and trouser suits from places like Next and M&S that I wear for work when I need to look smart.

Machine washable, shake and hang up, dried a few hours later, totally non crumpled, don't need ironing.

Even if I did iron them, by the time I had driven to work, they would look exactly the same as if I didn't, so I don't bother.

If I'm not dressed smart, I have on skinny jeans, which are ironed by my arse and jumpers of varying thickness depending on season - these are dried flat on an airer and not creased at all.

I've had loads of 'professional jobs' and not neede to iron. Smart suit trousers from next use to tumble with no creases and then worn with a v-neck jumper from Zara (which were tight and tumbled crease free) and a jacket. While not winning any s&b high end fashion awards, were easily smart enough.

Dh is in a professional job but the company is a bit Google in its outlook and he is the only one who wears a suit. Everyone else is in jeans and crumpled t-shirts.

Teach your son how to iron. Then leave the choice whether to iron or wear crumpled clothes to him.

Do NOT raise a son who expects to wear clothes that require ironing and have the ironing done by his wife. (There are men like that. One even wrote a book about how those lazy women try to get out of wifework by buying shirts that don't need to be ironed ...)

pearly - i've seen judging from the non-ironers too. the implication that they have a better life and superior since they don't iron. There is judging on both sides.

One even wrote a book about how those lazy women try to get out of wifework by buying shirts that don't need to be ironed ...)

Are you sure that book wasn't written by my mother?

A lot of the non-ironers seem to rely on using the tumble drier - i have one but I rarely use it. My bills are high enough :)

Marynary- women who wear professional iron not required clothes, tumble dry & hang up. It's that simple! If you don't iron, you buy your clothes accordingly, you don't turn up in a crumpldd linen jacket!

I know that because that is what I do. I was replying to a poster (Lamu) who seemed to think (unless I misinterpreted) that people who don't iron don't have professional jobs because if they did they would be fired for being a "crumpled mess".

Different things are important to different people. There are plenty of the non-ironing brigade judging people who do.

I don't judge people who iron per se as people should do what makes them happy. I only judge those who think that those who don't iron are lazy, unprofessional bla bla bla.

Even as a pro ironer, I agree that it is perfectly possible to look smart and professional by careful buying and using a tumble drier. A fitted jersey type top under an easy care suit looks perfectly fine. However, I prefer to buy what I like, suits me and fits well regardless of whether it is non iron, rather than being limited to finding things that I like, suits me, fits me well and wouldn't need ironing. I don't enjoy shopping though.

Not judging anyone. I'm simply stating there's some occasions you need to look smart and that entails not looking like you've just rolled out of bed. Therefore, Imo which is as valid as the non ironers ironing is a essential skill to have.

If you tumble dry, shake out the creases instead of ironing, great. I'm glad it works for you, it doesn't work for us because our work shirts/tops are 100% cotton.

Anyway I'm off.

I used to do very little Ironing. Most stuff would come out of the tumble dryer looking fine, sheets and duvet covers would just need folding, rarely used an iron. However, I now have a combined washer/dryer and there is no way I could leave anything unironed. Everything comes out as if it's been professionally crumpled, even t-shirts need ironing.

I do find though, getting into beautifully smooth, ironed bedding is a joy.

lamu "I;m not judging anyone but...... looking like you've just rolled out of bed. "

As well as snidey comments about people looking like they've just rolled out of bed, there are the pointed 'well we wear naice natural fabrics and you non-ironers wear nasty sweaty stinky polyester' .

No judging there whatsoever