GFs son(8) always asks for help and never tries to solve problems on his own

He's a good kid, but he just comes off as lazy and unwilling to put any effort in to solve any problem. Opening a locked door? "I can't do it" Opening a milk carton? "I can't do it" Turning on his tablet? "I don't know how to do it"Really anything that would require the most minimal amount of critical thinking, he just refuses to try. That's what worries me. He doesn't even make attempts at things, he just always asks for help.Is this a confidence issue? I've seen the same characteristics manifest in him being too shy to try and read new words or a word he struggles with.I've tried showing him how to do things slowly to teach him so he can do it himself, but I'll show him and he just still asks for help and says he can't do it the next time.If he was an adult, I would say he is flat out lazy. But he's a kid so I understand it's not the same thing.How can I help improve his willingness to think critically and try and problem solve? via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2KlYHsF