Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

to think 14 yo's are capable of opening a tin of beans?

84 replies

GladRagsandHandbags · 02/08/2016 15:56

DSD is with us for some of the summer hols.

DH asked her to help make a fry up breakfast at the weekend.
He gave her a ring pull tin of beans but she didn't know how to open it and nearly sliced her hand up when DH explained how to do it.

Are most 14 yo's like this?
I was like

OP posts:

LotsOfShoes · 02/08/2016 16:24

Until I went to uni, I had never made myself a cup of tea, let alone opened cans or made food. Criticize me all you like but the reason was I was never allowed in the kitchen, my mum used to say I'm too clumsy too cook/handle sharp object etc. Of course the reason I was so clumsy was because I was never allowed to do it. And I had a really hard time at uni when I had to learn how to do basics stuff for myself. If teenagers can't do basic stuff, I blame their parents. So you need to show her all this, it will be very hepful later on.
I'm a very good cook nowadays, by the way

QueenJuggler · 02/08/2016 16:26

How does anyone need instructions on how to open a ring-pull? Surely it's totally obvious?

capercaillie · 02/08/2016 16:27

Not unusual. I work with teenagers in extra curricular setting - last year had to teach someone how to open a tin and someone else to wash up. They had never done it before.

PersianCatLady · 02/08/2016 16:28

If they say they don't know how to do something, show them once no matter how stupid and pointless it seems and then they will know how to do it.

I used to ask my Mum how to do things and she would say you're 15 how do you not know?

But if I did something I was unsure of, she would tell me that I wasn't doing it right so for that reason I asked what to do if I didn't totally understand.

user1468847082 · 02/08/2016 16:30

Intelligent doesn't always mean practical. I had a university lecturer who travelled on the same bus as me to the site, she used to watch me for when to cross the road. I kid you not, like a child would do with an adult. Clever, but no common sense.

Hulababy · 02/08/2016 16:31

Is it just that she'd never done it before and got it wrong, in terms of pulling angle, etc.?

If she hadn't done it before, for whatever reason, then someone just show her and she will know for next time.

No point in claiming her being useless or whatever if her mum or dad haven;t shown her how to do the basics. The parents are at fault for not giving her the basic skills she needs to move forward into adult life. Time they get it sorted.

PartiallyStars · 02/08/2016 16:33

You can't really criticise someone for not being able to do something they have never been shown how to do. I was also "gifted and talented" but I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't open a tin at 14. I know I had no idea how to boil an egg at 11 when it came up at school, or how to work a washing machine when I went to university. I was also very bad at peeling potatoes when I went to Guide camp as I didn't do this at home.

I can't say not having been able to do any of this has impacted my life now. DH may disagree.

rollinghedgehog · 02/08/2016 16:34

The first time I saw a tin with a ring pull I think I just though - 'oh that's easier than using a tin opener'. I was certainly never taught how to open one...

I think it's one of those things you could always open a bit awkwardly, no matter how much practice you've had!

I was not 'taught' how to do a lot of things before I went off to uni, but I worked most of it out for myself. And these days YouTube will show you how to do pretty much anything. I don't think you need to worry.

Lunde · 02/08/2016 16:38

Whatever the reason she seems to need to learn some practical life-skills so that she can do things for herself.

Perhaps you could make it a challenge over the holidays that she learns to cook several meals and other practical things such as washing, cleaning and changing fuses etc

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 02/08/2016 16:39

It's only because she hasn't done it before, and that's not her fault. Now she has, and she'll be better at it next time. A more interesting question is why has she never been asked or shown how to do it by any of the adults responsible for her. My 12 yr old has never opened a ring pull tin either, mostly because I like to be left alone when cooking as I hate it and it makes me grouchy.

ParadiseCity · 02/08/2016 16:41

Can of pop ring pull and can of beans ring pull are totally different. Of course when I was kid we had proper ring pulls on pop.

YelloDraw · 02/08/2016 16:45

I find the ring pull cans hard - I use a spoon to pull up the ring before pulling it back.

But yeah, I can't believe a NT 14 year old hasn't ever opened a tin before!

Amelie10 · 02/08/2016 16:48

It's not rocket science to actually figure out what to do with the ring, has she never opened a can of cool drink before to come across this

gallicgirl · 02/08/2016 16:53

I was always berated for lack of common sense as a teenager. Trouble was, I was somehow expected to know how to do things simply because I'd seen that thing being done before or I'd been in the same room when it happened.
Sometimes people need to be shown how to do stuff and more than once.

In regards to safety, I can't remember if it was here or on Facebook but there was a conversation about allowing children to use sharp knives and it made realise how we unintentionally wrap our kids in cotton wool. As a result, I showed my 5 year old how to slice apples safely and she did a great job, all fingers in tact!

Our kids need to be taught simple skills even if they come with a risk.

Disclaimer: I can't use a tin-opener, buggers always seem to twist the wrong way.

irregularegular · 02/08/2016 16:55

My 14 yr old daughter still seems to find this surprisingly difficult and manages to break it off some of the time. Not really got the knack. No special needs, just needs more practice.

allegretto · 02/08/2016 16:56

Well if she's never done it before it's not surprising! I asked my 11 year old to cut up some fruit for a fruit salad and he was very ungainly with the knife - it really isn't automatic, it's a skill - and one that I obviously have to make sure he learns!

ClaraLane · 02/08/2016 16:57

I always use a tin opener for ring pull tin because otherwise I end up wearing whatever is in the tin!

Groovee · 02/08/2016 16:59

My 13 year old Ds would know what to do but his sister who is 16, pretty intelligent cannot master basic things! If it wasn't for Ds, dd would starve sometimes.

myownprivateidaho · 02/08/2016 17:00

Ugh, no of course she is not "useless". What a horrible thing to say. As people have pointed out, opening a tin of beans is a pretty easy task in the scheme of things, so I don't see why you'd be worried about sending her off without knowing this or equivalent tasks - she's going to work it out! I'd never unblocked a drain done my own taxes, unblocked a drain, or changed a lightbulb. But I'm not living in a dark flooded house waiting for hmrc to send the bailiffs in. I'm pretty sure she'll work things out. If she starves to death in the week after she leaves home in 4 years time having been unable to operate a tin opener please do post again and I'll apologise.

blankmind · 02/08/2016 17:04

Ring pull openers are very handy for anyone with limited dexterity (includes not wanting to spoil nails!)
i5.walmartimages.com/asr/3d5c0565-ffea-48dc-bf25-7f754fb6375a_1.6dcf1de12a66eaf22795bbf41620084c.jpeg

practy · 02/08/2016 17:07

My mum used to berate me for not knowing things that no one had taught me. If I said that, she just replied that it is common sense.
Some of these "common sense" things included that I should have ironed trouser creases into her jeans when she gave me money to iron a load of clothes :)

Chickoletta · 02/08/2016 17:46

I run a horse riding club and take 11-16 year old girls down to the stables once a week from our school. I would say that 75% of these girls cannot undo a buckle until they have been shown and many struggle after that. Most of these are very bright girls. This has been going on for 5 years now but I am still staggered every time!

Groovee · 02/08/2016 17:52

Blank thanks for that. My fibro means ring pull tins can be hard.

DeathStare · 02/08/2016 17:54

My 8 year old just opened a can of kidney beans for me - with a can opener.

She's been able to open the ring pull cans of beans or sweetcorn for at least two years.

JennyOnAPlate · 02/08/2016 18:10

Well my 8 year old opens a can of cat food every morning so I'm thinking it's time for some lessons!

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread