Who's your handy man?

When I got my first apartment, my step-dad gave me a box of tools: Hammer, screwdrivers and wrenches. I knew how they all worked - in theory. The problem was that I had never had to use tools before.

So, I hung up all my pictures with nails and put together my flat-pack furniture with my screwdrivers. But, if something broke, I was at a loss of how to fix it.

I do not tinker. But, happily, my husband does.

Since living with my husband, I have developed a large appreciation for his handyman skill set. We own things like saws and a sander and he has the knowledge of how to use those things safely. He can fix things when they are broken, or - at least - put in the effort to try and open things up and see if he can fix them.

And I really hope that he passes on all this knowledge to our son. I would love to see them cobbling together shelves or a bench or something that is not a birdhouse (but only because I dislike birds). Those real-world handyman skills are important. And, according to this article in the Boston Globe, they are disappearing.

Don't get me wrong - I am not putting all the pressure on my husband. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty, and I am more than happy to help with a remodeling or build project. But I would need someone to direct me. So, I am grateful that I can rely on my handyman husband to lead the way.

Who is the handyman in your family? Tell me in the comments.