While my kids think I know everything (or else why would they ask me every question under the sun?!), I am fully aware that I do not.

And why would anyone want to anyway?

Unfortunately, a mommy career handbook with all the answers does not exist (if it did, there would be no use for mommy blogs), but for other careers, they do. The best thing we can do as moms (to help minimize the pressure we put on ourselves) is to learn when it’s best to consult the opinion of an expert. Let’s face it, there are some matters related to caring for your kids that will require an experts opinion.

Yup, I said it. Mom’s cannot be experts in everything.

Here’s my must-have list of the top three professionals you should call (and have on speed-dial) to step in and help save the day for you.

1) Your child’s pediatrician

Firstly, you better like your child’s pediatrician. If you don’t, find another one. Doctors are so important for the health and well being of your child and it’s extremely important that you not only like them, but trust them.

Fortunately for me, the pediatrician I use for my kids is the same one that cared for me when I was a teen, so I have a very long history of building trust with this doctor. However, because I’ve moved around, I’ve also had to use other pediatricians for my kids and I understand that not all pediatricians are equal when it comes to the quality of care they give their little patients. I’ve always been blessed with great pediatricians for my children wherever I’ve lived so I believe that every mom can find a great pediatrician for their children, too.

Don’t be afraid to call your child’s pediatrician! One of the most important reasons why I use the pediatrician I use is because of the call back system he has for non-office hours. He checks his messages very frequently because whenever I’ve called him, he’s always returned my call within 1-3 hours (sometimes sooner). His nurse doesn’t call me. He calls me. While I mostly reserve such calls for true panic situations, such as if my infant is running a high fever, I’ve always appreciated his care and compassion towards my kids.

In other practices, I’ve had pediatricians that use automated call systems that transfer the calls to a live third-party person and, based on what I tell them, they will decide if it’s important enough to give the message to my child’s pediatrician or give the message to a nurse. While I understand that pediatricians have a life outside of being a doctor, the best pediatricians are the ones that truly love their work and genuinely want to talk to the parents themselves. (They aren’t just in it for the money.)

I cannot emphasis enough the important of finding a great pediatrician that you can personally speak to during non-office hours. We all know fevers always happen on the weekend or the middle of the night, right?

2) Your auto mechanic

Unless you live in a metropolis, your car (err, mini van) is your lifeblood. It gets you and your kids from point A to point B. It’s your dinner table when you grab fast-food from the drive-thru after work on your way home. It’s your get-a-way car for date nights with the Mr. (and perhaps a quiet make-out room after). But the point is this: you cannot live without your car. Repeat: You. Cannot. Live. Without. Your. Car.

A trusted auto mechanic that you can call up anytime you have a question or concern is as stress relieving as doing yoga.

My SUV is over 200,000 miles (that’s a lot of zeros) and it’s 10 years old (another zero!). Recently, when my check engine light kept turning on and off randomly (without acting up physically), I knew I had to get it checked out. Thankfully, I have a trusted mechanic (my friends father, actually) who doesn’t rip me off or nickle and dime me every time I show up with a problem.

Driving around with a check engine light on isn’t safe for God knows how many reasons, but the main one should be because you use your vehicle to transport your kids from …. A to B, remember? Have you ever been stuck in a car with all your kids on the side of the road? Trust me, you don’t want to.

Don’t wait for problems to get your vehicle checked out. Keep up with the maintenance. When you go in for an oil change and they tell you need brakes, buy brakes! Last summer, I ended up paying a load more at a franchise repair shop while on vacation because I didn’t realize how bad I needed brakes and I suddenly felt the brakes skipping while pressing them. Scary! That trip wore down the rest of the pads and scratched the rotors, so we had to replace those, too. Brakes are cheap. Rotors aren’t. SMH.

There’s nothing greater than trusting your mechanic when he tells you everything looks good and you’re good to go.

3) Your HVAC technician

Don’t laugh. I’m a mom and when I tell you it’s important to have your AC guy on speed dial, I’m dead serious.

Okay, laugh.

But seriously, ha

To recap:

• Pediatrician. Check.
• Mechanic. Check.
• HVAC technician. Check. Check.

Now, if only there were a professional I can put on speed dial that can help me answer all my kids questions ….

Is there a professional that you feel should be included in this speed-dial list? Please share!