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Forget DIY It's DIWF
Do It with Family By Sue Marquette Poremba
When you visit our house for the first time, my teenage son will take you to his room to show you his prized possessions. First he points to his bunk beds. "My dad and I built those together when I was 11," he says. Then he points to a white shelving unit in the corner that matches nothing else in the room. "My grandpa and I built that when I was 5." When those projects began, the idea was to provide my son with additional storage space for his sports gear and an extra bed for friends spending the night. What he got were lifelong memories (and some cool bedroom furniture).
Traditionally, do-it-yourself (DIY) projects are a one-man (or one-woman) operation, either because the person doing the work is particular and insists the work be done a certain way or because it is quicker to do it alone. "We're rushed for time," says Bruce Johnson, professional refinisher, DIY personality and author of 50 Simple Ways to Save Your House (Random House, 1995). "We take the attitude that it is faster if we do it ourselves, but we forget our kids need to be involved."
It's also a chance to develop a bond with your children. Stromer first discovered the lure of power tools and time bonding with his family when he would help his dad with projects around the house. The skills he learned from his dad were turned into a successful career. Now Stromer involves his two sons in home projects (and probably has a pink tool belt waiting for his new daughter).
