Knowing How to Find Help
Seeking support in times of need and knowing how to accept help when it’s offered.
Sooner or later, every family needs help. Although asking isn’t always easy, recognizing your family’s needs and reaching out to others for support is a sign of strength. Advocating for your family helps you build self-confidence and persistence. Knowing how to accept help when it is offered can teach your kids courage and resourcefulness. Plus, strong families are better able to help others.
Knowing How to Find Help can mean…
Taking help when it’s offered
Searching for the resources you need
Advocating for your family
Taking help when it’s offered
Searching for the resources you need
Advocating for your family
Hear From Parents
Ask Yourself…
There are no right answers. Thinking about these questions can help you understand your family’s strengths.
Asking for help can be really uncomfortable. It may be the person you are asking or what you are asking for. It may be that you were raised not to ask for help. But knowing how to tap into your network of personal and community resources is an important part of building family strength. Think about the thoughts, feelings and situations that can keep you from reaching out and then consider one thing that you can do to make a change. Back to Question Being an advocate for your child’s needs—in places like their school, the doctor’s office or day care—can be difficult. Challenging someone who’s supposed to be an expert can mean stepping out of your comfort zone, especially if you feel like you don’t know what to ask for, find confrontation stressful or have past negative experiences weighing you down. Just remember, you know your child best. Try reaching out to others who can support you through the process, so that you can get your child’s needs met. Back to Question It can be hard to know how to offer support. Often, saying something vague, like “Let me know what I can do,” doesn’t help. When they aren’t sure what you’re offering, people in need don’t know what or how much to ask of you. And you could end up doing something you’re not comfortable with. Next time, try to be specific. Offer a ride, a meal or babysitting. It’ll make giving and getting help easier for both of you. Back to QuestionTry This
Speak Up
A key tool you have for meeting your family’s needs is the ability to find information and resources and to request help.
Network with others: Those with similar needs or experiences are often the best sources of information for how you can get your own needs met.
Share your struggles: Your loved ones and community can’t help if they don’t know that you need it.
Ask for the kind of help you need: Be clear about what would truly be helpful to you and your family.
Ways to Help Others
Helping others doesn’t have to take a lot of energy or money. Small gestures can mean a lot to someone else, and increase awareness of your own resources and strength.
Listen: Be available, attentive and non-judgmental. Being a sounding board allows others to come up with their own solutions, feel supported and become ready to move forward.
Pass along: Sharing things we no longer use can mean a lot to another family, such as outgrown kids clothes, extra toys or unused sports uniforms.
Give your time: Hang out, pitch in or do something for someone that they can’t do for themselves.
Be appreciative: Tell others the things that you enjoy or admire about them. Express gratitude for their friendship.