Will your children know how to iron clothes when they get older?

[LucyStoner]

How do people not iron?

 

Wash and wear! If removed from the dryer and hung up right away, most all of our clothes do not need to see an iron. We do iron drew shirts but I cheat and just do the part people see under the jacket or sweater. My husband irons the whole shirt when he does the ironing.

 

I actually like ironing but since my husband works in a hospital setting (not in the admin department), he mostly wears khakis and shirts that do not need to ironed. And for the last 3 years of my working life before I quit in 1/12, I worked in a very casual non-profit setting. Back when my husband worked in a suit and tie and I worked for a conservative nonprofit agency, we did a lot more ironing. Of course, there was a time way back that I used to iron our sheets. Then small people invaded and compromises needed to be made.

Edited August 24, 2012 by kijipt

[Liz CA]

My kids have no idea what an iron is for.

 

When i was their age, one of my jobs was to iron my dad's handkerchiefs, pillow cases, aprons, and anything else my mom threw in the ironing basket.

 

Do your kids or if they are to young, will your kids know how to iron?:confused:

 

I showed him years ago. I don't think he owns one now but I could be wrong.

I am not the ironing queen myself but my mother was - she ironed cloth diapers!

[VeganCupcake]

Wrinkle-free shirts are the greatest. I take them out of the washing machine, give them a shake, and hang them up dry, and voila, no ironing needed (in my opinion). My mother, however, would disagree, I'm sure. She still irons quite a lot.

 

I iron for sewing and if something is really awful looking, for a special occasion. But normally, no, I do not iron and my children will probably not learn to do it either.

[Tammi K]

When my (now) 21 year old dd was a wee tyke, she had quite a language delay. She didn't speak until she was 3. She was one of those kids who suddenly one day started speaking in full sentences. But, to bolster her skills we decided to enroll her in a small co-op preschool a few mornings a week.

 

By the end of the year her speech was quite normal. She only had one answer wrong on the speech screening they did. When shown a picture of an iron, she said it was the space shuttle.

 

Now, I agree it was an incorrect answer, but for a kid who had never even seen an iron, I think 'space shuttle' was a pretty good guess. :001_huh:

[plain jane]

One of my girls took sewing lessons for a while. That's the only reason she knows what one is. :o

 

I'm pretty sure none of my other children would know what an iron even is. :001_unsure: Oh how I love the steam setting on my washing machine. :D

[MrsBasil]

I ironed something once. I *think* the iron is still here somewhere. The cat broke the ironing board though. Not a great vaulter, that one.

 

I mostly wear jeans and wash and wear shirts(or t-shirts), DH is a trucker who hauls crude oil so no ironing there-his interview stuff gets dry cleaned and hung neatly in the closet, and I'm not ironing the kids clothes. When they wear clothes that is, apparently I gave birth to nudists. :glare:

 

My mom ironed a bunch, but she never taught me or let me near the iron.

[lynn]

I've taught my boys well. I most school mornings I hear them in the laundry room ironing their shirts or work pants.

[mumto2]

My dd was ironing quilt blocks last night. I really can't imagine her bothering with clothing. I don't unless it is really important--if I plan well the dry cleaners takes care of it. So that was my vote!

[Laura Corin]

They both have ironed things, but, as a family, we buy shirts and trousers that are non-iron.

 

Laura

[LaxMom]

Yes, my kids will know how to iron. Whether they choose to, well, that's up to them.

[IsabelC]

When my (now) 21 year old dd was a wee tyke, she had quite a language delay. She didn't speak until she was 3. She was one of those kids who suddenly one day started speaking in full sentences. But, to bolster her skills we decided to enroll her in a small co-op preschool a few mornings a week.

 

By the end of the year her speech was quite normal. She only had one answer wrong on the speech screening they did. When shown a picture of an iron, she said it was the space shuttle.

 

Now, I agree it was an incorrect answer, but for a kid who had never even seen an iron, I think 'space shuttle' was a pretty good guess. :001_huh:

 

That's classic :D

[Michelle My Bell]

We iron all the time here. I am pretty sure they enjoy it too.

[Changed]

My girls (and boy if that's what we have in January) will know how to iron, but if they follow my example they probably won't do it to often. :tongue_smilie:

[dirty ethel rackham]

We should make a thread entitled, "things Dirty Ethel Rackham probably forgot to teach her son," then you can wake him up and teach them really quick. :lol: he would be soooooooo...GRATEFUL!! :smilielol5:

 

:lol: Thanks for the laugh. That really made my day! Should I get him up now and start? T minus 3 hours till we leave.

[Wheres Toto]

I need the other option. :D

 

My oldest had to iron a skirt that the dryer wouldn't get the wrinkles out just a few weeks ago. I had to dig in the very back of the laundry nook (after she asked "do we even have an iron?"), show her how to use it, and give her some assistance. Evidently her roommate is bringing an iron and iron board for their dorm room. :lol:

 

My youngest will probably go with the dry cleaner option since that's what I do for dh's dress shirts.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

My kids are young, and they see me ironing dh's shirts. I don't iron his work shirts, but he wears button up shirts over T shirts as his "casual" look. I have to iron them, because even the shirts that claim to be "iron-free" come out of the dryer looking a little wonky. If I had piles of cash, I'd send all the shirts to the cleaners, not just the work shirts. I hate ironing. My kids will most likely not want to iron, so they can be wrinkled or take their clothes to the cleaners when they grow up.

[Luckymama]

My sister irons everything. I use the iron when sewing :D

 

I told dh before we were married that I don't iron. His mom taught him how to do dress shirts and other items so he's been responsible for his clothes for the past 20 years. He taught ds how to press shirts and khakis. Dd17 will iron a skirt or dress as needed. Dd12 just uses the iron for sewing and crafts. I' m sure she could iron clothing if necessary.

 

I have no idea what they'll do on their own! Ds came home for his tux last spring and ironed his own shirt, but I think that's the only ironing he did all year.

[Parrothead]

I iron so rarely, but it's not hard, and they see me. They know what an iron is for. I'm sure the kids will learn one day, though they might not have to/choose to iron frequently when they are older.

:iagree: This.

 

I only iron in the summer. My summer clothes are mostly 100% cotton. They have to be ironed. In the winter I'm mostly in sweaters and jeans. No ironing then.

 

I also have to iron curtains 2x a year when I wash them.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Ok, I voted yes, because they will know HOW to iron. WILL they actually USE the skill? Probably not :lol:

 

Ha! This. Every once in awhile, I do need to whip out my mad ironing skillz (usually on placemats, but sometimes on actual clothing), so I'll definitely teach them HOW to iron. As to how often they'll need to use an iron, I have no idea. I bet my fashion-plate younger DD will use it regularly, while my "comfort is king" older will manage the way I do--by throwing a wet rag into the dryer with a load of clothes and then folding right away!

[Crimson Wife]

Where's the "other" option? I would imagine that my kids would know how to do basic ironing to get out the wrinkles on a pair of pants, skirt, dress, etc. However, unless someone else taught them they wouldn't know how to get a men's dress shirt to look the way that it comes back from the dry cleaner's because *I* don't know how to do that! :lol:

 

My mom ironed maybe once every 2 or 3 months but sent my dad's shirts to the cleaners. That's pretty much what I do.

[JenC3]

Dd 8 can do simple ironing now. Just yesterday, she ironed dd4's skirt for me while I fixed breakfast.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Where's the "other" option? I would imagine that my kids would know how to do basic ironing to get out the wrinkles on a pair of pants, skirt, dress, etc. However, unless someone else taught them they wouldn't know how to get a men's dress shirt to look the way that it comes back from the dry cleaner's because *I* don't know how to do that! :lol:

 

My mom ironed maybe once every 2 or 3 months but sent my dad's shirts to the cleaners. That's pretty much what I do.

 

DH and I decided long ago that I'm way too Type A to iron his dress shirts. I'm practically in tears by the time I'm done because of all the nooks and crannies that need smoothing, and the wrinkles that would appear in the already ironed parts while I was trying to iron other parts. Plus, I could never get the starch right for him. Even when we were at our brokest, those shirts went to the dry cleaner!

[regentrude]

Yes. I detest ironing, and my son was looking for ways to make money - so he has been ironing DH's work shirts since he was 12. I gladly pay him.

My female colleagues have already asked whether I hire him out ;-)

[Tess in the Burbs]

My kids wanted to learn to iron so years ago I bought cloth napkins and that was their job. But the heat scared them.

 

Yes, they can iron. Whether they will when they grow up is up to them. I rarely iron. But I could see my kids becoming iron adults :tongue_smilie: They like that perfection. Some days :lol:

[Hoot]

I'm thinking DS13 will learn how to iron this year. He is a bit absent-minded though so I'll have to spend a LOT of time with him at first so he doesn't lose track of what he's doing and leave the iron sitting on the clothes too long. :glare: He learned how to do laundry 3 summers ago though and has been doing it ever since.

[sandst]

I answer No, but we do own an iron. Kids here in school are expected to have crisp and iron uniforms and my husband used to work for an airline where he was expected to wear a crispt and ironed uniform. So at that stage we did quite a air of ironing. Then 2010 we took the kids out of school and my husband was retrenched so no more need for ironing.In all truth I took the stuff out of the machine and streched it and hang it on hangers to dry (we have a tumble dryer but it is only used on an emergency only) so during winter we only iron cuffs and collars on the shirts.Also my husband did most of the uniforms ironing. I had a cupboard where I put it in and we ironed as needed everymorning. Our washing machine got a spin setting for RPM and I usually set it on the lowest or second lowest and it airates the clothes during its last spin so that might help. I am the queen of stretch, shake, hang and dry. Most of our clothes come out straight that people do not believe me when I tell them I do not iron. I got a few 100 % cotton or linnen items that need ironing but I only use these suits when traveling in Africa for work and most of the time the hotel will handle these.My mother was the queen of ironing, everything including socks and cotton underwear... In a previous life I used to iron (sheets, pillows and everything) but I have decided that life is two short.Kids are expected to learn to iron their school uniforms and also polish their shoes. It is part of life skills school training so at one stage or another I guess I will have to teach them how to iron. I doubt if they will ever do it.

[RoughCollie]

I have an ironing board and an iron. The iron is new because the dog chewed the cord off the old one. I last ironed when the boys were in Boy Scouts, a zillion years ago.

 

BUT I was thinking the other day that I ought to teach the kids how to iron.

 

DH takes his clothes to the drycleaner to be laundered and pressed. He refuses to let anyone else (me) do it.

[celticmom]

I answered no. I do own an iron but I have not seen it since we moved and the only time I was even mildly tempted to look for it was when I was sewing an outfit for dd.

[Heather in Neverland]

Heck no. I barely know how to iron. :tongue_smilie:

[Rhonda in TX]

I haven't taught the skill yet, but I will teach the skill eventually. However, I resort to two things before I ever iron.

 

1 - toss it back in the dryer for 10-15 minutes

2 - Melaleuca Revive Wrinkle Release spray - one of most favorite products!!

 

DH's shirts go to the cleaners because they are a pain to iron and we can afford the bill. In our leaner days, I ironed them.

[lailasmum]

I rarely iron. Basically only if I am sewing. I will pass on the skill but it's not exactly that hard to figure out yourself.

[Denise in Florida]

Sadly, that is one area they will just have to figure out on their own. :lol::lol: They are bright girls they'll work it out if they want to.

 

I voted no, but I do own an iron, we use it for crafts.

[Amy in NH]

Didn't answer the poll because I would choose to leave it up to them, but it doesn't have anything to do with forcing my way or not. I only iron clothes when I am going someplace where formal dress is expected, and then I press it just before wearing. When they are young, I will press their clothes for similar occasions. They learn how to use the iron while doing 4-H projects. When they are teens I expect them to press their own clothes for formal occasions.

 

Other than that, I heat up clothes in the dryer before folding and that tends to get most of the wrinkles out.

 

They can do what they want when they grow up.

[Danestress]

I iron all the time, but I am not sure there is any skill invoked that my kids couldn't gain by reading a quick "how to" article and then giving it a few trials. Of course there is a bit of methodology and experience, but really not so much that I make a production out of mastering that "skill.". It's really mostly just wanting things done nicely and taking the time to do it.

 

So I tend to think that if someone's kids can't iron now, it would take very little for them to learn if and when they are ready.

[MamaJeanne]

I iron very rarely. Mostly for sewing which I also only do rarely. A couple years ago (ds1 must have been around 6) I realized just how rarely I do iron. Ds watched intently as I pulled out the iron and ironing board, and asked me what it was for. He was really interested. Until I plugged it in and... nothing. He just stared at me and asked, "That's all it does?" :tongue_smilie:At least they know what one is now!

[ChristusG]

I do not even own an iron, so probably not. Is it pathetic that I still have my mom iron something if it is completely necessary? :tongue_smilie:

 

LOL! Me too! She lives right around the corner from me. I've only needed something ironed once or twice in my entire life though.

[annandatje]

The deal we made long ago was that if the kids acquired an article of clothing that required ironing, they had to be the one to do it. Thus, they have been ironing on occasion ever since the middle school years or even earlier.

[8circles]

Ok, I voted yes, because they will know HOW to iron. WILL they actually USE the skill? Probably not :lol:

 

:iagree:

 

They will know how. Whether or not they choose to do it is up to them. I've chosen not to except on very special occasions, much to my mother's horror.

[greenvneck]

Some people get their clothes dry cleaned in order to avoid ironing them.

 

Yes, this. On the rare occasions when dh or I needs something pressed (maybe once a year) the dry cleaner does a much better job than we could hope to do.

[TravelingChris]

They all know how to do it, now whether they do it will be up to them.