Part of family life is dealing with problems thrown our way. The thing is; other folks problems become yours when you are part of a family unit. It seems there is always a designated person to take on the woes and troubles for everyone to come running to. In this household that person seems to have become me. No matter how trivial, everything becomes my concern. It's been learn and adapt, think on my feet, and oh hell, fall on my butt, and never hear the end of it. Some of the daily problems I solve, I could almost do on auto-pilot. Where's my ....? The .... doesn't work. Some problems I solve are so recurring, I feel as though I am a broken record in my responses. "Right where you left it, reboot it, and try again... etc, etc.
Other times I actually have to stop to think about it. Sometimes I just improvise, and hey if it works and everyone is happy, job well done. I am only human after all. It's only when I sit down at the end of the day that I sometimes feel my problem solving skills have evolved to the point of being resume-worthy.
If I could write a resume of the knowledge I have garnered over the years, it would probably qualify me to be a Solution Wizard. Some of my highlights would read as follows:
Can set up and troubleshoot a personal family network, sign every last device in the household onto that network, and take complaints about above-mentioned network, even when said network is not the problem.
Uncanny ability to know other's patterns to predict where they may have misplaced or forgotten an item of the utmost importance to them. Skills learned from playing the game Memory in childhood are particularly useful when hunting down items that should be in pairs or multiples.
Personal problems, the use of empathy and sympathy go a long way in calming family when the younger members feel they have been wronged or slighted. Communication skills go a long way with everyone when you can remain calm (even if you are boiling or freaking inside yourself.)
Transferring work skills to the home. Keeping plumbing flowing along, saves money and stress, especially when you can take the lead with confidence, and say, "I've got this--and knowing when you can't!
There are times it would be nice to take a break from being the on-duty Solution Wizard, but I have learned it's not a hat you can take off once it's donned. It becomes a part of who you are, ingrained in the fabric of your being.
I now will share some recent things I have learned in a problem solving role: 1) If the remote is lost, just get an app and put it on your phone. We all have one nowadays, it may as well do yet another duty. While you're at it, track the location of your family's mobile devices, so when they think it's long gone, you can look on the map to better pinpoint its location.
2) Check that stuff is actually plugged in before you go to too much trouble trying to pinpoint other problems.
3) Ask questions yourself--sometimes you learn a lot in the process, and it may lead to a quick and easy resolution.
4) Get everyone else involved, even the best of us can't know or fix everything. Sometimes just a casual mention to someone else will solve a problem just like that, after all, especially when it comes to the kids, you want to train them to be the next in line Solution Wizards! Then when you're old and forgetful, you can come to them! A win-win situation!
I thought to write on this topic as I have a bit of time off work, and have not written anything in quite some time, so feeling very rusty, although there are ideas waiting in the wings! I may have time off from my paid work, but when you are part of a family the time off is not completely leisure ever. During my time off, my family "work" continues, and I don't hold that against them. I just hope I can make them understand that sometimes even the problem solvers get a little tired and need a break from the everyday.
