The other day, there was a woman at the local gas station who was fumbling around with the gas pump as though it was a piece of modern artillery that she had never layed eyes on before. Finally, after being confused and listening to her kids beat on the car windows long enough, she asked those around her for help. “Can you help me,” she said. “My husband has ALWAYS pumped my gas for me and I don’t know how to do it,” she squeaked in a timid mouse like voice. Seriously? This woman is 30 something years old, has given birth to children, and obviously is entrusted to take care of said children - yet she doesn’t know how to pump her own gas? The nice man next to her chuckled, and assisted and she was off and on her way. But you have to wonder, why is that there are so many women in this world that are comfortable being essentially helpless?
Unless you have been living in a cave, you know that marriage and children isn’t always a happily ever after. And women should know by now that the days of ‘taking out the trash,’ or ‘mowing the grass’ being a male dominated gender role in the household are thankfully O.V.E.R. Yet, there are still women perpetually content with being helpless idiots. Worse, is that some of these women – who have no idea how to pump gas, who think that there is a such thing as men’s work and women’s work are raising children and unknowingly perpetuating their helplessness (or lack of helpFULness) onto their kids.
Being able to take care of yourself without having a man around is an important life skill. This isn’t to suggest that every woman on the planet should be able to do everything that her husband can do. But seriously, not knowing how to pump your own gas? Is that even safe? Dependence on other people is not a very “Mom-Spirational” way to be, and quite frankly, women today should want some autonomy and capability. Truth is, you never know how long you can depend on other people in your life – but you always know you can count on yourself!
So here it goes! 5 Things you should know how to do. If you don’t….make it your monthly goal to learn them. (And pumping gas, well it should be a pre-requisite to getting your license)
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Changing a flat tire. The what if’s in this situation are immense. What if you are in the middle of nowhere with your kids, your cell phone doesn’t get a signal and you run over a nail or piece of glass that punctures your tire? Would you be able to change your own tire, or would you be stuck helplessly on some dirt road until some crazy redneck wanders out of the woods with a hunting rifle – left hoping that he is looking for deer rather than a vulnerable woman in a minivan with an infant? If you need to, go to a mechanics shop and get someone there to show you how to do it. And then make sure you DO IT, once or twice in the comfort of your driveway, so you are certain you can. If you think you can change a tire – then make sure you also know how to access your spare tire – and periodically check it to make sure it’s not dry rotted.
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How to fix a leaky faucet and turn the water to your house OFF! If the washing machine is leaking, or the toilet is constantly running (which by the way you should also know how to plunge), or a pipe in your house bursts, waiting to be ‘rescued’ can be costly and cause a heck of a lot of water damage. Unless you live in an apartment with a 24-hour maintenance man, you should know how to shut off the water supply to your entire house, and to all of the sinks, bathtubs, and appliances that use water. Worst part is, turning off the water to your home is really, really easy – once you learn how to do it.
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How to jump off your car. Carrying jumper cables in your vehicle is a great idea. Especially if you are one of those moms who is always sitting in pick up lines with the cell phone plugged in while waiting on your kids. Eventually your battery is going to die, and knowing how to jump off your car is a life skill. Plus, doing it wrong – well that’s just plain dangerouos. And remember the scenario in number one about the deer hunting redneck? What if your battery died while you were changing your flat tire?
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How to Get Money. You should be able to access the bank account, write a check, get cash out of the bank if you need it, have an ATM/Debit card etc. The whole weekly budget thing is understandable, but some times in life things happen. And if you need a new bra, or some pantiliners, you should not be forced to ask someone else for money to get some. Even if you are a stay at home mom – you should realize that you put your hours in on the job and that you are entitled to feel like a responsible adult who can access some dough should she need it. Make sure your name is on the bank account as well, so that you aren’t succumbed to a child-like existence in your relationship.
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How to Initiate Sex. Seriously ladies! If you are in the mood, sitting around and waiting for your husband to make a sexual advance is outdated and ridiculous. If you want to have sex with someone - then use your hands, or your voice, or your eyes, or your lips and make sure that you get the point across to the man in your life. Hell, he might really even like this new side of independence!
What are some life skills YOU think every woman should know?
Guest Article By: Stef Daniel
Read More about the adventures in ‘advanced parenting’ from Stef Daniel at Mom-Spirational and don’t forget to *LIKE* Momspirational on Facebook.
