If you are anything like me, you hate asking for help. Specifically from parents, but for the most part you just despise asking for help. I am a very arrogant, headstrong, proud person. And at times this is a good thing, like when I am standing up for something I believe in. But at times, it can also be a huge downer on my personality. This attitude I have can make it nearly impossible to ask for help. And because I cannot ask for help, I get frustrated because sometimes I can’t fix the problem I have.
I.E., when I was trying to write this article before, I was going to use my family’s iPad with its connectable keyboard. And I couldn’t get the keyboard to turn on. I did not know that the keyboard had to be charged, so I got completely frustrated and mad because it would not turn on or connect with the iPad. I kind of had a 45 minute hissy fit and hid under a blanket practically crying. (Please allow me to say now that this was partially because I was exhausted on account of not having a good full night of sleep in about a week or more.) But, tired or not, that was not acceptable behavior for a near high schooler.
Now if you have this same problem, right now you and I are starting help school. If you are stuck on a problem or have an issue, the thing you need to do is assess the problem. Can you fix it on your own? Now if after asking yourself this, you answer with no, you should be realizing that there is a giant neon flashing sign in your head saying, ASK FOR HELP! If you cannot see this sign or are choosing to ignore it, you need to realize that it is there and it is speaking the truth. I would suggest asking for help.
If you think you can fix the problem on your own and have tried every possible way to fix your issue and it still won’t work, then again look up and take in a large eyeful of the nice big neon sign and accept that you need someone helping you.
I’m sure you’re thinking, why am I taking advice from someone who can’t even ask for help themselves! And my answer for you is that I have actually been getting much better. After dinner, I looked my mom in the eye and said, “Can you please help me?” It turns out that the keyboard was dead, and actually the charging port fell apart when we tried charging it. So always remember to assess the problem before deciding that you can do it on your own.
This is a well written article. I appreciate that you shared a less than flattering incident with other readers. As a mom, I have seen my own children struggle with the balance between being independent and asking for help. As a parent of teens, I try to give them room and let them work on their own.
I hope you follow your own advice. You will benefit from it, and your parents will appreciate it.