Mums furious over '50 things mothers aren’t teaching their kids' list
'Totally sexist article but also a bit out of date. Who darns socks?'
By Livia Gamble
February 21 2017
Mums are outraged over an article describing 50 things “mothers aren’t teaching their offspring.”
Posting a link to the article in the Mumsnet forum, one mum writes: “To be furious at this article?”
The article titled The top 50 forgotten skills kids are missing out on was published on the My Kent Family website reports on the results of a survey for Addis Housewares, which claims millions of kids are missing out on important skills such as “Handwriting, organising the laundry and making ‘proper’ gravy.”
A spokesman for Addis Housewares said: “Our research shows many traditional skills are not being passed down from mums to their children anymore.
“Some skills, like darning socks, perhaps might be thought of as a little old-fashioned, but some like handwriting and sewing buttons, for instance, are helpful things to know.
“Perhaps as the research suggests, mums are so busy working and looking after their kids – among other things – they understandably struggle to find the time to teach them what they know.”
Many in the Mumsnet forum have described the article as “horrendous”.
“WTF! I'm too busy working and earning to teach my kids how to darn bloody socks!!! What I am teaching them is a good work ethic. Their dad can teach them how to make proper gravy!” one commenter said.
Another added: “Totally sexist article but also a bit out of date, I think. Who darns socks?”
On the other hand, another commenter said others were taking the article too personally.
“Why are you taking this so personally?" they said. “This article is based on the facts, not opinions that what have been viewed as traditionally female skills are dying out. Surely this is a good thing, feminists? We can't have it both ways.”
Read the full list below.
TOP 50 SKILLS MUMS AREN’T PASSING DOWN TO THEIR KIDS
- Darning socks
- Patching trousers or jeans
- How to darn a woollen jumper
- Re-heeling shoes
- How to polish brass and silverware
- How to recycle soaps
- Letter writing
- Making jam/marmalade
- Handwashing clothes
- Crocheting
- Making chutney
- Knitting
- How to hem a dress
- Sewing buttons
- Making a trifle
- Making homemade ice lollies
- Descaling a kettle
- Sewing
- Making a white sauce
- Storing winter/summer clothes away properly
- Making dough and pastry
- Handwriting
- How to recycle vintage furniture
- How to make Yorkshire puddings
- How to compost
- Making proper gravy
- How to skip (a rope
- How to line a cake tin
- Making biscuits
- How to grow vegetables successfully
- Baking a cake
- How to spring clean a house
- Which season to plant seeds
- Fashion tips
- How to clean an oven
- What certain flowers and plants are
- How to landscape a garden
- Washing up
- How to get stains out of clothes
- Folding clothes properly
- Telling when fruit/veg is ripe
- How to wash a car
- How to get stains out of carpets/furniture
- Writing cards
- Applying make-up
- Making pancakes
- How to clean windows
- Interior decorating
- How to organise/sort the laundry
- Ironing clothes
