Not long ago, we had an air conditioning unit go out. Whenever an appliance is on the blink, my heart sinks into my stomach, as I immediately begin to consider when I will have time to arrange to get the broken appliance fixed. Inevitably, the service team will expect me to await their arrival for at least half of a day, rather than schedule a visit for a certain time. Inevitably, the team will be late, and the diagnosis will require yet another visit. A day or two from my tight schedule will be lost to this service, and the service will, no doubt, be ridiculously expensive. I can only pray that the fix is long-lasting.
However, on this particular Saturday (because appliances always break down on the weekend), my husband told me that he thought he might be able to fix it. I grew up in a household where such a statement from my dad would prompt sighs from everyone because, as much as I adored my dad, he was definitively not handy when it came to appliances. He might jerry rig the item and leave a hole in the wall. My husband, on the other hand, always seems to understand how appliances work. I admit that I cringe when he pushes every button in a new car or when he literally takes apart new, motorized toys, because I am fearful that he will break something before we have enjoyed its first usage. I know, though, that he understands mechanical and electrical items. He legitimately could pursue work as a handyman in retirement.
Sure enough, he rerouted the pipe that had slipped in our AC unit, and his fix has held now for weeks and looks professional. Crisis averted. And we have had air conditioning during these hot and humid summer June days!
With June here, summer is officially underway, and for many students, summer will seem short: With the arrival of August, school will be imminent. What does your high schooler have planned for these weeks of summer?
Many parents may feel antsy that their children do not have enough planned that will showcase well on college applications and a resumé. That summer program in which they are participating may scream wealth, and they may have waited too long to apply for that summer job. Not to worry!
One of the best things your child can do this summer, in my humble opinion, is to head to Home Depot with a parent and pursue a home project. Perhaps you have something in need of repair that your child, along with a supervising parent, a manual, and some professional guidance, can attempt to repair. Whether your child is handy or not, that kind of at-home project not only builds intimacy between a parent and child, offering hours of casual conversation and bonding over a common problem, but also offers great college essay content. Whether the at-home repair team succeeds or fails, the pursuit is well worth it. Something is always learned in the process. If you think your child is a budding engineer, the pursuit of such a project can be surprisingly informative, as your child may realize that engineering is indeed a big interest – or absolutely is not.
A summer project can build as many memories as a family vacation and costs a lot less! I hope that you and your children choose to take on a summer project together.
Here are some ideas: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/yards/21018260/28-easy-summer-weekend-projects