Undomesticated Teenage Boys Cause Parental Grey Hairs in Advance of Leaving Home for the First Time, Research Finds

LONDON, August 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• A third of 16-18 year old boys have never washed or ironed clothes, whilst 55% of parents will give them lessons before they start university
• 86% of parents fear for daughters' safety at uni - but female students aren't worried
• Parents far more likely to keep in touch with daughters than sons during term time
• One in 10 teenage boys plan not to initiate contact with parents at all
• Teenage girls lack DIY skills - 76% do not know how to wire a plug and half have never changed a light bulb

A survey of 2000 students and parents, by student accommodation provider Pure Student Living, has revealed that parents worry their teenage sons will not be able cope with simple household tasks when they leave home for university or college - however are far less likely to keep in contact with them than their daughters.

Pure Student Living, which has just opened its new all-inclusive 400 bed student accommodation block in Highbury, London, questioned 1,000 students aged 16-19 who are about to start university or college in September and 1,000 parents with children in the same position.

48%^[1] of parents with teenage boys questioned their child's ability to cope with tasks such as cooking, washing and ironing, compared with 35% of parents with teenage girls. Young males also recognise their own deficiencies in this area, with 56% worried about their lack of household skills compared to 45% of girls.

Safety and security is a major concern for parents of girls, with 86% worried about their daughters' safety, (compared with 77% of parents with teenage boys). In contrast, female students themselves aren't at all worried about safety and security, rating it very low down their list of worries. Money management and budgeting is the biggest concern for girls (44%), followed by whether or not they will make friends (15%).

The survey also found that 64% of parents plan to teach their children budgeting skills before they leave home, while half will teach them to wash and iron clothes. Parents of teenage boys are generally more likely to teach their children washing, ironing and cooking skills (55% for parents of boys vs 43% for parents of girls).

Over a third of parents believe that their children have worse cooking, practical, budgeting and time management abilities than they did when they left home for the first time, while very few think that their children have better skills. In particular parents think that their sons have worse cooking and practical abilities than daughters.

89% of students admit that they have never managed or paid a household bill. Young females are particularly lacking in maintenance skills, with almost half never having changed a light bulb, while 76% do not know how to wire a plug. Almost a third of 16-19 year old boys also admit to not knowing how to wash or iron their clothes.

Gina Peirce, Student Operations Manager at Pure Student Living, said: "Teaching children skills such as budgeting, time management and cookery in advance of starting university can really help to alleviate both parental and student fears, as it is clear from these results that for many young people this is the first time they will have ever been independent and in control of their own affairs. Responsible student accommodation providers will offer a level of student support in-house to aid students at this time in their lives.

"However giving your children areas of responsibility before leaving home can help prepare them for what is to come, and make the first few months of living away from home far less stressful."

"When parents consider student accommodation options they should also find out how well trained staff are to understand students' needs. For instance staff at Pure Highbury are able to advise students on simple life skills like registering at a local GP or opening a bank account, meaning that parents can be reassured that their children aren't struggling away from home."

Despite concerns about the practical abilities of their sons, parents are far more likely to keep in contact regularly with their daughters. One in five parents of teenage boys say that will contact their children just once a week, whereas half as many with teenage girls say that this will be the case.

One in 10 male students say that they will not contact their parents at all during the university term compared with one in 20 girls.

Twice as many female students than males think that they will contact their parents every day during their first year (one in 6 vs. one in 12).

1. 48% of parents ranked household skills among their top five concerns