Hi Tee,

I have a serious problem. I have a very lazy friend who doesn’t want to do his own homework. I was supposed to be a homework helper not the homework doer. We’re in the same class and he always wants me to help him with his homework but then I end up doing all his work. I’m tired of this and want to put an end to it. How can I do that without hurting his feelings?

-Mark

Tee: Mark, why you are worried about hurting his feelings? He knows what he is doing. This is exactly why he’s taking advantage of you. It’s ok to be nice but you can be too nice. People will take advantage of you because you won’t say no. Learn to say no. It’s easy. Practice if you have to. If you’re doing his homework when do you have time to do yours? How are your grades? You have to think about you and your future. You should help your friends but helping means just that. It doesn’t mean you take over and do his job for him. Talk to him and tell him you can’t do his homework for him anymore. If he needs a tutor then he needs to tell his parents and have them help him find one. This is a life lesson for you it is ok to say no even to people we love. There is nothing wrong with that.