55% of Parents Say Their Children Will Be Better DIYers Than Them

Will future homeowners be equipped to handle household issues? Although 94% of parents said they could diagnose a basic household problem, 60% said they worry their child’s generation will be less self-sufficient than past generations, according to a survey by Frontdoor. 

A decrease in household-related education could be to blame. While 67% of parents said they took a shop class while in school, 35% said their child’s school district did not have shop or home economics classes.  

Still, many parents are planning on (and already are) passing down their DIY skills (72%), and 55% said they expect their children to be even better than they are. On average, they start teaching DIY skills at 7.5 years old, with the top ones being: 

1. Basic plumbing 
2. Appliance repair 
3. Basic electrical 
4. Diagnosing problems 
5. Painting 

Parents said they teach DIY skills because it encourages independence, builds confidence and will save their kids money one day. But it’s not just parents who are enthusiastic about home DIY projects – 88% said that their children are interested in helping around the house.