Problem solving a poor baby
We had a bad night this week. As a matter of fact, it was one of the worst I can remember in our child rearing career. And it all started while we had the kids working at a flip project we just finished on Sunday.
Real estate investing is our family business. As such, we try to get the kids involved as much as possible. They have been with us to vacant houses. They’ve been present while we bought properties on the courthouse steps, and they’ve even been with me to do in-home interviews with prospective tenants. And, of course, they have been present during all stages of rehabs.
On this house, all that was left to do was the landscaping. We bought knockout roses and sky pencils for the beds next to the house. We lined them up and planted them, and then we spread pine straw to make the beds look great. We then had to rake the yard, sow grass seed and then spread the hay.
Now, I need help with the hay part because I am very allergic to grass. I mean the sneezing uncontrollably while my eyes are swelling shut type of allergic. Ashley is not allergic. So, she volunteered to do the job, and the kids joined in.
My two oldest have never exhibited any allergy symptoms. So, we just assumed the baby wouldn’t either. I think we assumed wrong.
He started sneezing later on Sunday and had a runny nose. For me, this is a normal springtime occurrence. I just pop an antihistamine, and I am good to go. But you can’t give a 10-month-old antihistamines. So, we had to let it ride.
Monday morning, we could both see and hear that he did not feel good. All that drainage had been running down his throat and out of his nose, not only disrupting his sleep, but giving him the all-around “poor baby” feel and sound.
During the day, he bounced back.
But Monday night … well, it was bad.
Ashley and I awoke to an almost panicked baby cry at midnight. Ashley was able to sooth him and get him back to sleep. But as soon as she put him down, the panic cry came back. This went on for a while until the poor baby was unable to be soothed at all. It was just a steady, hurting, loud cry.
That’s when I came in and started trying to help.
We started small, checking to make sure his diaper was OK. No result. Next, we went to the Tylenol in case this was all teething related. That didn’t do it either. I found some Hyland’s homeopathic cold tablets that are safe for babies and gave him some of that. Oh, and this was all while he was constantly pushing the bottle away and wouldn’t take any of it.
Finally, Ashley and I noticed he was grabbing at his ear, which is a classic sign of ear infection. This scenario makes sense if that drainage was running down the back of his throat all night. We quickly got some oil and fought him to get it in his ear.
Now, I don’t know if it was exhaustion, if the Tylenol finally kicked in, if the Highland’s provided some relief, or if it was a sum of all of that and the oil, but finally that poor baby fell asleep on Ashley’s chest in the recliner. And that is where she and he stayed for the next three hours uninterrupted.
The following morning, Ashley said, “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you problem solving last night.” She thought we stopped an earache, and she is probably right. But had she been up on her own trying to handle a flailing, panicking and hurting baby, she didn’t think she would have figured it out.
This made me think of what it must be like to be a distressed house seller. They have this thing they are caring for and are so overwhelmed they can’t figure out what needs to be done. And they need help.
That’s why your job as a real estate investor is to come in and methodically problem solve so that you can help their sick baby. In doing so, you will get the deal and have the seller saying, “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” And that is a good place to be.
Joe and Ashley English buy houses and mobile homes in Northwest Georgia. For more information or to ask a question, go to www.cashflowwithjoe.com or call Joe at 678-986-6813.