A year ago, when you were still pretty new into the blended family thing, your husband went to Michigan for a week for work. Today he begins a new job and will spend the week in Des Moines, and in a few weeks he will go to Ohio for five weeks. You are more confident in your ability to handle all the kids solo now, but you wold be lying if you said you did not still have some trepidation. Factor in that you are also going to be dealing with a new heating and cooling installation while he is gone and you know that patience will need to be your mantra.
Five kids is a lot no matter how much you love them. Add in appointments and dinners and homework and your own work, and holy cow, you cannot help but wonder how you are going to do this.
your husband is the yin to your yang. It is no surprise to those who know you that you are a bit high-strung with sky-high expectations. Your husband’s laid back, whatever happens happens way may drive you insane sometimes, but it grounds you and keeps you from completely losing your marbles. As you prepare the house for the kids leaving for school this Monday morning, you are also checking off all of the things that you are supposed to have done before the heating and cooling installation begins. You need to clean out the area between the two furnaces, which should not have anything there anyway, and you also need to make sure that change the garage code so the heating and cooling maintenance and installation team can get in.
You have told your friends that if they see me this week or when your husband is in Ohio, you might be looking a little crazier than normal, that’s why. You are just waiting for your go-to guy, your friend, the one who makes sure your family get through the craziness as unscathed as possible to get home and make your crazy home feel a little more grounded. You are also asking your friends and family to say a little prayer that no unexpected house emergencies occur while you are solo parenting. In the last month you have dealt with plumbing repairs like leaks and clogged drains, and you are hoping that the schedule heating and cooling installation is the only work that needs done around the house in the next month and a half.
Managing Home Requires a Number of Important Skills
Whether you are the parent of a blended family with five kids or you are a new home owner who is not married and has no children, there are many important skills you need to have if you own a home. For many, the most important skill is knowing when to call in enforcements. From the need for HVAC professionals for a heating and cooling installation to the plumbing repairs that are required for a small leak, there are many times when hiring a professional is the right decision. Heating and cooling systems are major investments and for them to remain under warranty you need a professional installation, and even the smallest of plumbing problems can be the result of a much larger issue. The temptation to save a little money and complete a job on your own, may be great, but your house is a big investment that requires the highest level of maintenance.
The you realize that fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save home owners about 10% on their water bills, it might be easier to invest in a licensed plumber to do the work. Just as a mother in a blended family of five relies on her soups to help keep things running smoothly, so too should a home owner rely on professional contractors when it comes to plumbing, electricity, and heating and cooling work. Parenting and home ownership are complicated processes, but they are always easier if you have a plan in place to work with your spouse with the children and the best available contractors with your home.