by Bhavya Dabas

Created on: October 20, 2009

In a world where it is not always easy or inexpensive to find a handyman or mechanic, and where women are spending an increasing amount of time by themselves in homes, offices and on the road, there are a number of things that men traditionally did but they should know how to do them for themselves as well.

A woman should definitely know how to drive, even if she doesn't need to. Even if she takes the train to work or works from home, she should be prepared for an emergency where she has to drive to the hospital, or to the local pharmacy. It's also useful to be able to take turns at driving on a family road trip. She also needs to know basic things about the car, such as changing a flat tyre, because there isn't always time to wait for an on-road service van to arrive.

Women should know how to change light bulbs, or, if using tube lights, they should know how to change the choke, the starter, or the light itself, and how to figure out which one needs to be changed. They should also be able to take care of basic plumbing issues around the house, or at least know how to stall them until a plumber arrives.

This one probably goes without saying, but even a woman who is a stay-at-home mom should also have enough skills to be able to take on the role of a breadwinner if the need arises. The husband could lose a job, fall seriously ill, or worse still, desert her. She may be left alone to fend for herself, and her children, if she has any. She would quite possibly need to cut down on expenses in such an adverse situation, but she should be able to gather some amount of financial support for herself and any dependents.

Women need to sit down and think about their typical day, and think about all the little things that could go wrong. And then, they should question themselves whether or not they are equipped to deal with such a contingency. They need to have the skills to deal with an emergency situation in an urgent way, and a less pressing problem in a way that nothing goes wrong until help arrives. Because life is uncertain. You never know what may go wrong, and when. And who would or would not be around to offer help.

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