They can scroll TikTok until their thumbs ache, and they can resurrect the Wi-Fi faster than you can say “buffering.” But when it comes to Gen Z life skills in the real world—boiling an egg, making a bed, or, heaven forbid, paying a bill—many young Brits appear utterly baffled.

A new survey of parents has revealed a startling list of everyday tasks that have fallen by the wayside for today’s screen-savvy generation. From putting up a shelf to cooking a simple spag bol, it seems Britain’s youth would rather troubleshoot a smart device than tackle the stove.

According to the findings, a third of parents (31%) said their children would struggle to pull together the student staple of spaghetti bolognese, while nearly a quarter admitted their offspring couldn’t even manage to book a GP appointment or straighten their own bedsheets.

And if that sounds like a recipe for disaster when they finally leave home, you’re not alone. Six in ten parents worry their children will crumble under the pressures of independence. Then again, half of those surveyed believe the “shock of real life” might be exactly the wake-up call they need.

Lost in the laundry, found in the Wi-Fi

The study, commissioned by eco-tech brand Hive, highlighted the divide between traditional household know-how and digital wizardry. Roughly 26% of respondents said their kids wouldn’t know how to pay a bill, 24% confessed they’d be lost booking a doctor’s appointment, and 22% wouldn’t even know how to turn the heating on.

Still, hand them an Alexa or a confused TV remote, and suddenly they transform into Silicon Valley troubleshooters. Parents, it seems, are more than happy to lean on their kids when it comes to syncing smart devices or rebooting the router.

When the tables turn

Everyday Tasks Modern Teens Cannot Do — According to Their Parents

Rank	Task	Share
1	Put up a shelf (have never done and wouldn’t know how)	42%
2	Clean the loo	39%
3	Clean the oven	37%
4	Iron clothes or bedding	37%
5	Do their own washing	36%
6	Cook a roast	35%
7	Change a lightbulb	35%
8	Do the weekly shop	34%
9	Load and turn on the washing machine	34%
10	Cook a spag bol	31%
11	Create a budget and stick to it	30%
12	Plan their weekly meals	29%
13	Tidy their room	29%
14	Buy a TV license	29%
15	Keep a houseplant alive	27%
16	Set up a direct debit	27%
17	Grocery shop on a budget	27%
18	Pay a bill	26%
19	Put away and hang up clothes	25%
20	Book an appointment at the doctor or dentist	24%
21	Boil an egg	24%
22	Make scrambled eggs	24%
23	Sign up to the electoral register	24%
24	Perform basic first aid	24%
25	Put the heating on	22%
26	Stack the dishwasher properly	21%
27	Make their own bed	20%
28	Put the tumble dryer on	19%
29	Change the duvet cover	19%
30	Make small talk with a stranger	19%

Interestingly, one in five parents admitted that once their Gen Z offspring move out, it’ll be the mums and dads doing the calling—not for help with cooking dinner, but for advice on tech.

Susan Wells, Director of EV & Solar at Hive, put it bluntly: “Gen Z might not have mastered ironing or cooking yet, but when it comes to tech, they’re light years ahead. Parents may still call on their kids for help with smart devices, but most are pretty confident using technology themselves — and with eco tech like smart heating becoming part of everyday life, it’s clear the whole family is learning new tricks together.”

So, while Britain’s young adults may not be ready to roast a chicken or iron a shirt, their future as family tech support is already assured. As for spag bol? There’s always Deliveroo.