Many parents say they’re stepping in to teach kids how to fix things at home. A new survey shows sons get these lessons more than daughters — and many parents fear their kids won’t be as handy as past generations.
🔎 What’s Happening: A national survey of parents points to a growing at‑home push to teach practical skills.
- 72% say they teach DIY basics like plumbing, painting, and appliance repair at home, starting around age 7.
- 60% worry their kids won’t be as self‑sufficient as earlier generations.
- 35% say their child’s school offers no practical skills classes.
- 17% admit they teach more DIY to sons than daughters.
- About 1 in 3 say they didn’t learn enough DIY skills themselves.
🧰 What It Means For You: If your child’s school has cut shop or home ec, the job may fall on you. Think about which skills your kids need — and make sure you teach them to all your kids, not just the boys.
🧭 The Big Picture: Practical classes have faded in many schools over the last two decades, squeezed by testing demands and budgets. That can widen gaps at home: parents with time, tools, and know‑how can pass skills on; others cannot. And when more lessons go to sons than daughters, it keeps old roles in place. The result could be a new generation less ready to handle basic fixes — and more dependent on paid help — unless families and schools rebuild space for real‑world skills.
🗂️ The Sources: Frontdoor-commissioned national survey of U.S. parents.
