What Price Do You Pay For Learned Helplessness?
Around my house, I often hear things like this…
“Mom, I can’t find the dates of the Qin Dynasty.”
“You can’t or you don’t want too?” I reply.
Even if you don’t know my kid, you know the answer to this question. He didn’t want to. For the record, this is a kid who can upgrade his computer hard drive, figure out complex music composition software, and build skateboard ramps using spare parts from our garage. When he “wants to” he can do anything.
If he doesn’t want to…fuhgeddaboudit. Learned helplessness instantly becomes his crutch.
Maybe he learned it from me. I am not exactly an ideal role model. I still can’t get Netflix to work on our TV even though my kids have shown me how to do it at least 20 times. It’s much easier to just threaten them with lost privileges when they don’t get their booties off the couch and make my movies appear. It’s pathetic. I know it. I suffer from the same ailment as my son.
I also have the same capability to figure things out on my own—WHEN I WANT TO.
Because I wanted to, I learned how to write and produce my own blog. Now, I can even do basic html, which might blow the minds of people who know me well. Never mind that it took me six months to learn something that my kid could have done in 6 hours. I ditched the learned helplessness, took charge and did something that has empowered and changed my life.
Sometimes HE doesn’t want to. Sometimes I don’t want to. We are our own worst enemies.
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