Grace S., Kettering Fairmont High School
Helping My Dad
My dad had gotten sick. He couldn’t bend over and had a hard time walking. My family always had to help him out of his chair in order for him to get to the bathroom. We even had to leave the toilet seat up because he couldn’t bend down and put it up himself. You see, he had gotten an infection in his back and couldn’t be left alone. That’s why I decided to help.
My dad has had this infection for several weeks and even though it has gotten better, it wasn’t always that way. I took it upon myself to look after him while everyone else did their own thing. In order to keep an eye on him, I would literally sit on the couch next to my dad all day until my mom came home from work. I would basically wait on him hand and foot. Every once in awhile I would ask him if he needed anything. If he didn’t, I would just go back to what I was doing, but if he did, I would help him.
Now, I didn’t sit with him all the time, but I mostly did. When I wasn’t directly next to him, I could be found in the dining room which is right next to the living room. That’s where I did all my homework instead of doing it in my room. However if I was in my room, or in some other room, I would keep my phone on and next to me so he could text me if he needed something. The thing is, even though it was a little tiring, I actually liked being needed. It made me feel important. It was even fulfilling because I felt like I was making a difference in my family, even if it was a small thing.
Helping my dad, and just being there for him, made me happy. Now, I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was fun because it really wasn’t, but I felt at peace knowing that I managed to make my dad feel cared for and loved. I don’t really care if I have fun or not when I help someone. I just feel good when I’m able to be useful in some way.
Helping my dad not only affected me, but also affected my dad as well. It made him less nervous about getting up and moving. It also made him realize that as long as I was there, nothing would happen to him. Helping others makes a big difference to not only the helpers, but to the people they are helping. What I’m trying to say is that helping my dad changed how I looked at him, and how he looked at me. It created a special bond between us that could never be broken. My dad still has that infection, but I’m still there to help him. I will always be there for him.