One of Annabel’s favorite games is “Invention,” where she (you guessed it) comes up with inventions that will make her life better. Her inventions are usually constructed of PlayDoh and Lego, and are powered by imagination, but every now and then she has an idea for a service that’s awesome. For example, the other day she said, “Mommy? There should be a person who stands next to you and gives you more whipped cream after you eat it all off the top of your ice cream.” I was like, “Dude. There should be. A Whipped Cream Butler!” That got me thinking about other services I wish were real.
~ A Pre-Maid Service
I don’t have a maid, and one of the (many) reasons I don’t is because of all the prep work involved. You have to clean your house before you pay someone to come over to clean your house. If I’m going to do that prep work I might as well go all the way and save some money. But, if there was a pre-maid service that would do all that necessary cleaning before the maid comes over to do the…other…cleaning, I would totally hire it.
My last maid aged-out of the job.
~ A Professional Pretender
I’m not saying that I don’t want to play “Anna and Elsa,” I’m just saying I maybe don’t want to play it five hundred times in one day. I would like to outsource this role.
~ A Gasoline Delivery Service
It never fails that I remember I need gas in my car ten minutes before I have to leave, on a morning when I’m already running late. It would be awesome if a gas delivery company could swing by my house and give me a few gallons of gas while I finish getting myself and the kids ready. Multi-tasking!
~ A Person to Talk on the Phone for Me
Five years in sales completely ruined me for talking on the phone. Most people text or email now, which is great, but occasionally I have to talk on the phone to get things done. I really just need someone to handle these three things: 1) Dealing with insurance companies; 2) Placing takeout orders; 3) Yelling at the people who respond to a text message with a phone call. Who does that???
~ A Kid Hair Brusher
Annie loves for me to do her hair, but she haaaaates when I brush out all the knots. And I haaaaate brushing out all the knots because she’s SO unhappy the entire time. If someone could come over to my house every morning and brush out her knots, I would be very grateful.
Can someone please invent these? I’ll be your number one client.
Bria says:
I used to work as a maid many years ago so I totally know what you mean about cleaning before the maid comes. You wouldn’t believe how many people wouldn’t, though….and then they would complain that I didn’t get all of the (actual) cleaning done in the time I had. Luckily, my boss knew that the issue was with the 8 billion loads of laundry they left for me to fold (not my job) and the hour it took me to pick up their kid’s very messy room (also not my job).
Also, I admit that I sometimes call to respond to a text…but only when there’s too much to say and I don’t have the time to text (or I’m walking somewhere need to pay attention to where I’m going).
Susan says:
I really like the whipped cream butler the best And, I admit, I have answered texts w/phone call. I try to keep up with the technology to a point but I get tired of text/email. I like talking to the person. Sorry =)
Lori says:
Heather. Have you tried the wet brush? It glides through you hair even when wet. They sell them at bed bath and beyond. Take your 20% off coupon and they also sell them at Taget. Good luck
Glenda says:
Yes… I was thinking of the wet brush too. I have one for my curly hair and it works wonder! try it!
lyzzette says:
Iwas going to suggest brushing it in the bath when conditioner is in so brush glides right through!
Johanna says:
My husband hates talking on the phone too. He will not call for food delivery. He either orders online or makes me call.
Becca says:
“~ A Gasoline Delivery Service”
YES!!
Beverly says:
Pre-maid service. Oh yeah! My house keeper comes once every two weeks on a Friday. Those Th. evenings and Fri. mornings before she comes are hell. But I feel so fortunate at the same time!
JustAMom says:
My 8 year old will TOTALLY be your professional pretender. Anna and Elsa is her favorite game. She often plays more with the kindergarteners at school more than the kids her own age because she is still so into playing pretend. She also loves this game in the car…… “mom, let’s pretend we’re in a submarine. Look! a mermaid!!” Cute, but also exhausting!!!
noelle says:
Mine is exactly the same way! Maybe we shouldn’t tell Heather that she may have YEARS of this ahead of her…
Allison says:
I would totally sign up for ALL of those services – every single one. I can’t even pick a favorite!
Vicki says:
Have you tried braiding Annie’s hair before bedtime? Seems like it would work. Maybe even a ponytail secured on top and bottom.
Robin says:
You should seriously start the gasoline one, I would be your best customer. I ALWAYS forget to fill up until I’m running late. Then I stop super quick and only put in like 3-5 gallons to get me where I need to go… 2 days later I’m in the same boat because I forgot again. Ugh. And the phone call response to a text drives me nuts! If I wanted to talk to you, I would have called you. I promise!
Terri says:
I’m all for the phone and the hair brushing! I hate talking on the phone, and hair is such an issue at our house. I feel guilty every time, I hate making her cry but getting knots in her hair is just unavoidable. I’ve starting straightening it in the mornings and that’s helped but holy cow it takes a long time.
K.B says:
I have SPD, I’M 44 now and use my Moms method of hair brushing. She started at the bottom and hand pulled out every single knot. I never once remember crying and I sat on my hair it was so long. I can un knot a head quicker then most can pull them out painfully by brushing. Its worth not causing pain.
Stacey says:
There is a gasoline delivery service — if you live in the country and have a fuel barrel (most farmers have one) then you would have a contract with a delivery service to keep it full. Works like a charm
Tammy says:
Another shout out for The Wet Brush!! Get it ASAP!
ella says:
Heather please use zifty.com or grubhub.com for your takeout orders!!! Save the annoyance of calling and messing up orders!!!
Andrea says:
I just got this for my daughter and our morning/bedtime hair brushing time has changed dramatically for the better. This thing really works.
http://www.amazon.com/Remington-Tangle-Tamer-Wet-Dry/dp/B000JI9JYQ
Kristen Smith says:
The beginning of this post (the part about Annie and her “inventions” with playdough and legos) reminded me of that awesome new toy – Goldieblox! Have you heard about it? I know some 4-5 year olds that are obsessed! Annie might love it. Here’s the link to their most popular item: http://www.goldieblox.com/products/goldieblox-and-the-spinning-machine
Paige says:
I don’t like to pay the delivery guy – I am the orderer and my husband has to pay (this applies doubly to tipping delivery/installers). Maybe we should team up?
Kristin says:
Oh I’m all over that gas delivery service!!! I’m the worst at that. I also hate talking on the phone. I think its due to the bazillion hours I spend on the phone from age 11-18. Thankfully my husband is the one who deals with the insurance and making appts and such. If only I could have him make my work calls too.
Stephanie says:
So for the pre-maid service…
We have cleaners come every two weeks. The night before we pick up all the clutter, put all the clean dishes away that were on the drying rack, etc. Yes, it takes time, but it’s not actual cleaning. It’s putting things away. We still leave the cleaners do the hardcore stuff. It’s worth every penny, in my opinion, for those 5 minutes when you get home and the house is sparkling. Then the children tear it apart and you make dinner, and it’s already ruined. But for those 5 minutes? Heaven.
Cheryl says:
My house cleaner comes every 2 weeks and I love it, it is the only time I can really get my son to pick up his room. I have told him from the beginning that she is there to clean and not to pick up his messes. Also, works on my husband, we all declutter beforehand, it is a great motivator! I would love the gas delivery service!
Jen says:
For the cleaning and the being on the phone one, there is a service you can use. I actually just got hired by Run Around Betties, which is an on-call personal assistant in LA. Basically, any assistant type work you need done, you just hire a Betty and they do it for you. And you can use them once or have them come over regularly.
If you use them, you should ask for me!
Lexi says:
I need a professional Potty Trainer. Seriously. Stat.
Bridget says:
OMG!!! I would pay good money…VERY good money for a Professional Potty Trainer!!!
Annalisa says:
I had long hair similar to Annie’s when I was little and I also HATED my mum brushing my hair. When I was older and brushing my own hair, these are some things that worked for me: keep the ends trimmed – SO much easier to brush when no split/dead ends; a paddle brush (with plastic tines with the round bits on the ends, not bristles, something like this: http://cdn.teenhollywood.com/thumbs/paddle-brush-2-0cd867175aafd537078b07c89c42dc21.jpg); don’t start from the scalp, start at the bottom/tips of the hair, and work your way up; hand-detangle the bad knots as you go, rather than using the brush. Hope these suggestions help
aqua6 says:
You can get an electric car – then no more gas stations! That’s what we did for one car and it’s so great. The only thing we miss about it is the squeegee for the front window.
MNMom says:
I respond to texts with calls when I am driving. If someone texts me, I just call them, can’t read or write texts while driving, way too dangerous! Instead of getting a cleaner, just get a sitter to take the kids out for two hours, then do the cleaning yourself!
Elizabeth McKinney says:
Tangle teezer. Seriously changed my life.
Kelsey says:
I am inventing a job for myself and hoping someone will pay me big money for it someday… I won’t have any more babies of my own but I love to snuggle them. I’m also a night-owl. So my plan is to find deathly people who will pay me to be their night-nanny. I’ll show up around nine p.m. and as long as I have access to a good internet connection for while the baby actually sleeps I’ll rock, cuddle, feed that baby all night until the parents have had a full night’s rest!
Ashleigh says:
Hi Heather,
I have very thick hair and my sister has thick curly hair thats down to her butt! so you can imagine the knots we go through! Our mum found this brush and i didn’t believe it but its called a Wetbrush it has cut my hair time down in half!! Its so good they even invented the pet version! You should try and find one and test it on Annie.
Meg says:
For someone who has spent a significant portion of my working adult hours answering phones, I HAAAAAAAATE making calls. (Confession : I’m still paying for a newspaper subscription from my old apartment because I don’t want to call their office to cancel it. I know. It’s horrible.) The only way I can handle the insurance phone calls is with the dog in my lap but she gets bored after, you know, the hour or two on hold (oh how I wish that were an exaggeration).
Paula says:
I have to put my hair up in a bun on the top of my head before going to sleep or *I* cry in the morning from the tangles. I want a pre – maid and a maid and a professional organizer and a hot chick to distract my DH so I can throw a bunch of crap away and he won’t freak out. I also need the gas thingy too but for DH, not me.