I Can Haz Basic Life Skillz?
I'm at the age where I'm in the 'middle'. In addition to having friends my own age, I have older friends (in their 40s and 50s), and younger friends (in their 20s).
A lot of the older friends are at the age where they've raised their kids, and now those kids are either already out of the house (in college or working), or will be leaving in a year or two. Every so often, I get to talk to the kids as well as their parents.
It amazes me just how much these kids don't know. Or, should I say, it amazes me that their parents did everything for them, and didn't once think to teach these kids how to fend for themselves. I've actually heard a few of my friends say shit like, "Oh, she's only 18! I want her to enjoy her childhood! She needs to have a good time, not worry about doing laundry and cleaning."
She's ONLY 18.
Now, my mother would never win any 'parent of the year' awards. I think she had kids only because it was illegal to own slaves. I'll be the first to admit that she threw way too much at my sister and I when we were far too young to shoulder such responsibility.
We both learned to do all the housecleaning by the age of eight. When I was nine, my friends' parents were amazed that I not only knew how to work a washing machine, they were shocked that I knew how to sort darks and lights and what water temperature to use. I knew the difference between different types of floor finishes, and I knew how to use ammonia to strip old wax. I not only knew what utility bills were by the age of 10, I also knew how to pay them and file them. I could use an iron without burning myself, and I knew when and how to use spray starch. I knew how to cook - oven, burner, electric frying pan, microwave - and was making meals for us when I was 11. By the age of 13, I knew how to check the air in the car tires, fill the tank with gas, and check the oil. I knew how to hang wallpaper and match patterns. I knew how to check the level in the heating oil tank, and how to call for more if it was needed (east coast living FTW). My sister learned how to do the same shit. The only difference between my sister and I was that she ended up doing more of the housework, and I became mom's caretaker/personal assistant/therapist/whipping boy, playing fetch at my mother's whim, and dealing with her bad moods if her paranoia struck, and she took something the wrong way and came up swinging.
I agree that it was too much. We didn't need to learn to do that shit at the age of eight.
However, when I finally got the fuck out, I knew how to live. I knew how to eat properly, keep my surroundings clean, keep my bank account in check, and have clean clothing. I knew how to do basic home repairs. I was independent to the point that I never had to rely on anyone to do anything for me (except lift heavy shit that I physically couldn't do on my own).
I really do believe that, once a person hits their teen years, there are certain things they SHOULD learn how to do. Many of my friends' kids either don't know how, or they don't want to learn/try.
Several of these 'kids' are 20, or older.
They have no idea how to balance a check book (just because everything is electronic doesn't mean you shouldn't know what comes in or goes out, and you still need to account for service charges).
They have no idea how to use a washer, dryer, oven, dishwasher or iron.
Making a simple casserole is completely beyond them. If it doesn't come out of the freezer and go directly into the microwave, or if you don't pick up the phone and order it, they're lost.
They don't have a clue what washing a floor entails (one kid really didn't know that hot water works really well, and that using dish soap isn't the best idea).
They don't understand that only changing your sheets once a year is completely unsanitary and fucking disgusting.
They don't know how to use a coffee maker, even though they drink coffee. Where does coffee come from? "Tim Hortons".
They have no concept of utility bills. They don't know that you have to pay rent on the 1st, and that it's for the coming month (not the month that already passed). They don't understand that if 'utilities aren't included', then you actually get a bill for heat and lights, and you have to pay them to keep them from getting shut off. They're stunned when they discover that cellphones aren't free, and neither is cable.
Reading a legal contract? Hahahahahaha.
There are a few out there who have their shit together, but there are so many who literally don't have a fucking clue. Their parents thought they were doing them a favour by letting them 'have a good time', but not teaching basic life skills is just plain stupid. Yet, they send the kid off to college, and then expect them to just inherently know shit they were never taught. Then, when it all blows up and the shit hits the fan, the kid comes running back home, crying about how life isn't fair, and the parents act frustrated, like the kid was supposed to know all this mystery shit they've never had to deal with. And, of course, there's a mess to clean up - physical, financial, or both.
I'm tired of hearing how clueless 'kids' are now, and I'm tired of hearing their parents whine, even though they did nothing to fix the situation.
A lot of the older friends are at the age where they've raised their kids, and now those kids are either already out of the house (in college or working), or will be leaving in a year or two. Every so often, I get to talk to the kids as well as their parents.
It amazes me just how much these kids don't know. Or, should I say, it amazes me that their parents did everything for them, and didn't once think to teach these kids how to fend for themselves. I've actually heard a few of my friends say shit like, "Oh, she's only 18! I want her to enjoy her childhood! She needs to have a good time, not worry about doing laundry and cleaning."
She's ONLY 18.
Now, my mother would never win any 'parent of the year' awards. I think she had kids only because it was illegal to own slaves. I'll be the first to admit that she threw way too much at my sister and I when we were far too young to shoulder such responsibility.
We both learned to do all the housecleaning by the age of eight. When I was nine, my friends' parents were amazed that I not only knew how to work a washing machine, they were shocked that I knew how to sort darks and lights and what water temperature to use. I knew the difference between different types of floor finishes, and I knew how to use ammonia to strip old wax. I not only knew what utility bills were by the age of 10, I also knew how to pay them and file them. I could use an iron without burning myself, and I knew when and how to use spray starch. I knew how to cook - oven, burner, electric frying pan, microwave - and was making meals for us when I was 11. By the age of 13, I knew how to check the air in the car tires, fill the tank with gas, and check the oil. I knew how to hang wallpaper and match patterns. I knew how to check the level in the heating oil tank, and how to call for more if it was needed (east coast living FTW). My sister learned how to do the same shit. The only difference between my sister and I was that she ended up doing more of the housework, and I became mom's caretaker/personal assistant/therapist/whipping boy, playing fetch at my mother's whim, and dealing with her bad moods if her paranoia struck, and she took something the wrong way and came up swinging.
I agree that it was too much. We didn't need to learn to do that shit at the age of eight.
However, when I finally got the fuck out, I knew how to live. I knew how to eat properly, keep my surroundings clean, keep my bank account in check, and have clean clothing. I knew how to do basic home repairs. I was independent to the point that I never had to rely on anyone to do anything for me (except lift heavy shit that I physically couldn't do on my own).
I really do believe that, once a person hits their teen years, there are certain things they SHOULD learn how to do. Many of my friends' kids either don't know how, or they don't want to learn/try.
Several of these 'kids' are 20, or older.
They have no idea how to balance a check book (just because everything is electronic doesn't mean you shouldn't know what comes in or goes out, and you still need to account for service charges).
They have no idea how to use a washer, dryer, oven, dishwasher or iron.
Making a simple casserole is completely beyond them. If it doesn't come out of the freezer and go directly into the microwave, or if you don't pick up the phone and order it, they're lost.
They don't have a clue what washing a floor entails (one kid really didn't know that hot water works really well, and that using dish soap isn't the best idea).
They don't understand that only changing your sheets once a year is completely unsanitary and fucking disgusting.
They don't know how to use a coffee maker, even though they drink coffee. Where does coffee come from? "Tim Hortons".
They have no concept of utility bills. They don't know that you have to pay rent on the 1st, and that it's for the coming month (not the month that already passed). They don't understand that if 'utilities aren't included', then you actually get a bill for heat and lights, and you have to pay them to keep them from getting shut off. They're stunned when they discover that cellphones aren't free, and neither is cable.
Reading a legal contract? Hahahahahaha.
There are a few out there who have their shit together, but there are so many who literally don't have a fucking clue. Their parents thought they were doing them a favour by letting them 'have a good time', but not teaching basic life skills is just plain stupid. Yet, they send the kid off to college, and then expect them to just inherently know shit they were never taught. Then, when it all blows up and the shit hits the fan, the kid comes running back home, crying about how life isn't fair, and the parents act frustrated, like the kid was supposed to know all this mystery shit they've never had to deal with. And, of course, there's a mess to clean up - physical, financial, or both.
I'm tired of hearing how clueless 'kids' are now, and I'm tired of hearing their parents whine, even though they did nothing to fix the situation.