From a young age, I have alwasy been self-reliant. Growing up in NYC, and being a latch key kid, I had many responsibilities that today, I feel were placed on much too young a person. As early as I can remember, I had to take care of not only myself but my younger sister as well. Both my parents worked very hard to provide for us. They worked long hours and really didn't have time to be there for us. I had to walk my sister to school and back everyday. A distance of 10 blocks. Queens, NY was a rough place back then. Nothing like it is today. Which I think is funny because, if a child is raised the way I was, they would call child services in a heart beat.
From time to time, I am sad remembering how I didn't get to see my parents much. They couldn't come to teacher - parent meetins sometimes. But they taught me something that many kids today aren't being taught. Self-reliance. I learned how to cook from 3rd grade on. I made sure I got up for school and helped my sister get ready. I protected her on our way to school and back. I made meals and snacks for her and myslef.
This has carried through to this day for me. I don't ever expect anyone to do anything for me that I know I can do for myself. It's gotten to the point where my wife sometimes tells me to get help for some of the things I do. For example, I learned how to do my own oil changes, brakes, transmission fluid changes, starter motor, etc. Many things that don't require me to have a full on garage with a hydralic lift. My wife sometimes says, why do you get yourself so dirty and waste time on something you can just take to a shop and have someone else do. But to me, it's about me accomplishing it myself because I know I can.
My friends know this of me and always ask me for help with their repairs on their cars or home improvement projects. This always affirms to me that I am capable and will always be useful. Also, that I have the ability to learn new skills. I think that if I ever have struggles during DBC with learning, I will be able to think back on all the things I learned to do on my own and push on. The frustration will be a temporary set back but I will prevail. I will be a Web Dev!