Skills change for the young people of today

UNDER 25s have been criticised because, according to a survey by Aviva, half of them can’t use a washing machine, iron a shirt or wire a plug. Three out of five don’t know how to change a light bulb and 70% can’t change a car tyre.

Their strengths, not surprisingly, are technical.

They are better at creating social media accounts and setting up smart phones.

To be honest, I don’t know how to use a washing machine and my days of changing tyres are behind me, although decades ago it seems as if somebody you knew was always getting a flat tyre or a blowout, possibly because this was before MOTs imposed levels of safety.

I’ve changed tyres on a mini, a Spitfire (the car, not the aeroplane), a Granada and a Punto.

These days, many cars come with a repair kit, consisting of a tube of sealant and a pump, rather than a spare tyre. When I got my Citroen Cactus I invested in a spare wheel plus the full kit with which to change it. Of course, now I daren’t attempt such a job in case I damage my back again. But it’s there, if I have to call the AA.

I was actually feeling quite smug regarding the failings of the younger generation: ironing, plug, light bulb, all got ticks. Then I read what Gareth Hemming of Aviva said.

“It’s fascinating how life skills are changing … however there’s a place for practical skills, too. Even putting up a picture could lead to a burst pipe.”

Whoops. So can nailing down squeaks in floorboards. I did that some years ago and created a delightful water feature in the bedroom. I went into a tizzy at my incompetence. Maria, meanwhile, calmly sorted it out and phoned an emergency plumber who, she told me, was a very nice chap.

I never met him. I’d gone for a lie down in a darkened room.