Many Young Adults Lacking in Life Skills

Modesto Bee (CA) ^ | November 29, 2001 | Stephanie Dunnewind

[americalost]

SEATTLE -- Justin Hagey, 28, figured his dress shirt was doomed. He hadn't worn it for several months when he saw a sign at a dry cleaners advertising clothing repair.

Could they fix his shirt? The surprised response: Of course. It was only missing a button.

[americalost]

I don't know what's sadder..that so many parents don't give a rat about their children, or that these hapless teachers use paying your pager bill to teach personal finance.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

Lol - my home-schooled kids LOVE Home-Ec. They can cook, shop, iron and clean their own clothes (not that they DO, but they COULD if required).

Cooking is a welcome break on Thursday's after a long afternoon of particle physics, quantum entanglement and covalent bonding (with Tae-kwon-do in-between).

Ahhhh....the freedom and joy of homeschooling!

[goodieD]

It's a shame that teaching children to become tolerant, sensitive, sexual, godless beings has replaced common sense at home and in schools. Diversity training has replaced home ec, sexuality class has replaced carpentry in schools. And parents have become more consumed with buying their children the latest video games or the next Harry Potter book than teaching them any life skills.

[americalost]

I can't wait -- my oldest will be five in February and the other just turned two. I plan to homeschool them both. Scary thought to me, but scarier still is the thought of Los Angeles County public schools.

[JennysCool]

Excuse me. I have to change that headline:

Many Young Adults Lacking in Brains

Thank you.

[petuniasevan]

Oh, geez, I thought this was something from The Onion or other satire site! These slackers/losers are pathetic. Blame the parents, too! Lame! If they need a skill, whyinthehell don't they find someone to teach them?

All slackers need to be drafted. That kindly Sarge in the porkpie hat will hold their hands until they feel good enough to learn...{snort} {SNICKER} HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

[2Jedismom]

Don't be scared! You can do it! Who taught those children everything they know now? You did! Just keep teaching.

Gosh, my six year old made chocolate chip cookies the other day, with supervision of course. When he was done, he walked up to my husband and said "I sure am responsible, huh Daddy?" He was so proud and so serious that busting out laughing would have been inappropriate. But it was hard not to!

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

GREAT TITLE----------------

I was disappointed that it wasn't about John Walker Lindh, (or what ever he calls himself while he is in detention)

[Dan from Michigan]

LOL. I'm one of the slackers in this case.

Cooking? Only the basic stuff to get by. Baking frozen pizzas, microwave, spaghetti, mac and cheese, etc. That and the BBQ(Steaks!). I can't forget the phone either. Hi, Pizza????

Sewing? I'm a guy. I don't know that stuff.....

[lelio]

I'm confused: what is a dress shirt? I live here and have never seen one. A shirt with buttons? Is this from the future?

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Dressed up transplant from New York. Ping, bang and a-----------

Bada Bing!

[all4one]

Bravo....I have five year-old and three year-old sons. They are both being taught about responsibility. It can be something as small as setting the table or feeding a pet.

If you start young it is just part of being a "family". I certainly don't need a school to teach my children basic life skills.

The scary part, are the people who send their children out into the world every day and expect someone else to show them the way. And if something goes wrong, it is a case of the blame game.

[americalost]

Aww how sweet! Thanks for the encouragement. I experimented with 2-mornings-per-week preschool and all my daughter got out of it was a smart mouth and a couple extra cases of influenza. We're currently house hunting for a place with just one more room. Did you homeschoolers buy curriculum?

At least I hope my girls will be able to sew a button on their clothing by age 28. At least they will know it's fixable! Sheesh, the guy at the top of the article thought his shirt was ruined.

[americalost]

Oh. I'm sorry. But listen, take heart. I and other parents are concerned with raising good salt-of-the-earth women to do all that kind of domestic stuff for you. :-)

Oh man, Gloria Steinem would excommunicate me for saying that.

Dr. Laura would like it, though.

[lelio]

"In the '70s, people dealt with the recession by canning more fruit and sewing their own clothes,"
Well I'm dealing with unemployment by not drinking an Americano every morning.

[americalost]

Right On! (Sorry about the unemployment, though.)

Back when I was a single gal workin' for a living, I remember having a conversation with my dad about how the same women who had children and "couldn't afford to stay home with them" would buy $4 coffee drinks, $3 flavored bagels to go with them... every day; then more for lunch. I worked around Georgetown in DC. They also subscribed to all the magazines. Cosmo and Elle and Vanity Fair... do you know how expensive they are?? People alone costs like $100/year.

I hope things look up soon.

[notyourregularhandle]

I'm a 21 year old full time employee and student. I own my own codominium, truck, I know how to cook, was raised by two loving parents, educated in public schools, and have met the love of my life...(sorry, had to throw that in there... ;)

basically life is good, and i'm not lacking life skills. The PROBLEM IS MORALS MORALS MORALS!!! Which stem from GOOD PARENTING...I have many friends (sorry if that sounded egocentric) and NONE of their parents are still together...THAT'S what i think the biggest problem is.

I don't think the issue is home-schooling or no home-schooling (although if things continue the way they're going, I will definately consider it) but rather LACK OF MORALS IN AMERICA...!!!

[SpikeG]

This is definitely a parenting issue. Unfortunately it also seems to be an economic issue. The more money parents have to shower on their kids the less basic skills said kids seem to have. As a single working parent living in an affluent area), my expectations of my children were much different than the expectations of the surrounding soccer moms had for thier children. When I came home from work I expected the house to be straightend up, the garbage to be taken out and the homework to be done. Dinner was always an exercize in communal involvement.( I'm not working all day day and then cooking for people sitting in front of the tv). Ironing, mending, budgeting was all shared (still is). Payday went something like this with everyone sitting at the table together "Here's the income, this is the bills we need to pay , this is what's left over." Both of my nearly grown children are very self sufficient and can be counted on in any situation to pitch in and help. Just for the record thier social developement never suffered, they were still involved in their personal interests,( my son is a violin prodigy, my daughter a dancer.) Its not about morals or school or intelligence, its about old fashioned parenting and doing everything as a family.

[Clintons Are White Trash]

I see this all the time. I teach high school colorguard and winterguard and you can guess the looks I get when I ask if anyone has a mom that sews. It amazes me that nobody is learning these basic skills anymore. One of my favorite things to do is learn to make and do things that we usually buy or pay for. I can sew my own clothes, I make all of our soap, I can do basic carpentry and drywall and even basic auto maintenance and repair. I was a single parent for 10 years and I had NO choice! I will never forget the look on the face of a guy I was dating when he was having trouble fixing the basket on my daughters bike and she promptly told him "that's ok, my Mom can fix it".