http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/5223768.stm

Apparently, the chair of the the Professional Association of Teachers has suggested compulsory parenting classes for 14 to 16-year-olds.

She is quoted as saying:

"When I came out of the maternity hospital with a little boy on one arm and a little girl on the other, I had no idea how to put on a nappy, I found it unacceptable that no one had shown me."

Can she be serious??? We're not talking rocket science here and if a person did have problems then there are midwifes and health visitors to assist?

Regarding.. "When I came out of the maternity hospital with a little boy on one arm and a little girl on the other, I had no idea how to put on a nappy, I found it unacceptable that no one had shown me."

Perhaps if she had asked before the child was born? She did have 9 months to learn the basics.. is that not what Antenatal classes are for?

I really can't believe that the average person really struggles to work out how to put on a modern disposable nappy. Having changed my nephew and niece a few times (without instruction, amazing!) I can report that they have little pictures printed on them to help you distinguish the back from the front. Perhaps we need to genetically engineer babies so that they emerge with their backs and fronts labelled in case this is the cause of the confusion?

Is the answer 7?

DanB, if you are lucky, then when you change your nephew it's a piece of p**s, if you are unlucky, then it's a piece of something far worse...

Well, if you stepped in it, perhaps you do need a nappy-changing lesson?

Aw, poor you, my nephew is far away too. We chat on the webcam a lot though

Nieces and nephews are cool! I'll miss mine when I leave here

My nephew was 3 a few weeks ago. Don't want him to get much older, he's so cute now and great fun!

Mine is easily controlled with chocolate button bribes!

It's a bit un-PC to 'assume' that everyone will raise a family

Exactly! And given that the average age of a woman having her first child was 27 in 2003 (or thereabouts, and increasing all the time) how much use will a nappy-changing lesson that you had 13 years ago actually be?

Learning about a family is different DanB. Whether or not you ever have to do a top-heavy fraction again is not the same as imposing societal assumptions. It is very similar to the days when girls were taught home skills because, of course, we'd all be married and looking after our husbands by the time we hit 20. Free apron with your O level certificates!

Everyone eats and needs to be healthy, which is why I agree it would be important to teach that

But assuming you will have a family or that women need to learn home skills (to look after their men) isn't right

Plus, what about all the children under 14 who have kids who are too young for the classes...