Were you taught to use a washing machine

[Justreadingtheforum3]

Please settle this argument between my husband and me.

Were you taught/shown to use a washing properly as a child? On how to not overload it, setting, temperature etc?

He said "no child in the history of the world has been taught to use a washing machine" his exact words.

I said its basic life skills.

Yabu = no I wasnt taught
Yanbu = yes I was taught

Ps he does use the washing machine and regularly washes. It's not a husband bashing thread.

Yes, my mum taught me and my brother when we were about 13-14. Although where I'm from we had a number to call with laundry related queries so we would just ring them if we had any questions.

i did my own laundry from age 10, which meant carrying it to launderette, and using machines there.
i also hand-washed nylons and bras etc.
when i finally got a washing machine i studied the instructions carefully.

No. Just worked it out by trial and error (and when I could eventually afford a new one) reading the instruction manual.

Absolutely and I have taught my son!

I was taught to use the old "agitator" type - water temp, how long to let it go for, how to rinse (by hand), then spin and hang out. But not taught to operate an automatic one, by the time we had those I was married so worked it out myself.

Yes it was part of Home Economics lessons when I started secondary school.

No and I reckon I've done 5 washes in my 36 years on this planet. Which is shocking. I just can't figure them out.

After I commented on this thread to him, my recent partner failed to start the dishwasher (it was all set to go, just push a button) and claimed he didn't know how to start it.
I don't think he realised the irony.
I should LTB, shouldn't I?

I don't remember being specifically taught, but my mum was very hot on making sure my sister and I could do domestic chores. My brother though, not so much!
My 10 year old son knows how to use the washing machine. I think I first showed him quite young because he wanted to pour the detergent in. He knows where the stuff goes and the two commonest settings we use.

Mum definitely taught me to split colours, never put jeans in with towels as it's too heavy for the machine, where each powder, liquid goes etc.

I certainly was NOT taught! However I went to boarding school and was expected to be able to look after myself at a very young age. At 11 I was expected to be able to make my own bed (not just tidy but put clean sheets on) wash my own hair, be responsible for my own clothes, make a 4 hour train journey with a change to get to and from school. By 15 I was washing my own clothes, cooking my own lunch at weekends, managing my own money (I had an allowance for clothes, toiletries, stationery etc.). I wasn't actually 'taught' how to any of that - it was expected that you could do you did.

No and Yes

I wasn't taught directly but after years seeing my parents doing the laundry I was observant enough to absorb the knowledge needed to operate a washing machine

Parents went away while I was a child my siblings and I were left with my grandmother who would insist on hand washing clothes and that would be a lot with 3 kids so my mother showed me how to separate clothes and how to use the machine where to put powder etc , so it would make things easier for my grandmother.

I put YABU, but I was sort of shown the ropes by a fellow student when I was a fresher.

I was always quite annoyed that my mum wouldn't let me do the laundry as my share of household chores. She always wanted me to do the breakfast washing up, but I got up at 6.30 as it was.

No, but i have taught my dc how to use ours.

I put YABU as in no I wasnt taught, but they're so easy to use most people can just figure it out. I dont think it's a bad idea to teach a kid how to use one though.