Trust me, it's even worse when you are in my side of IT, then your wife things you should be able to magically fix anything and everything. It always breaks me a little when I don't know the answer, I feel like I am totally letting her down. Like she suddenly thinks I am less of a man. Silly right? People are so helpless these days. It's part of the reason I try to get them to fix it themselves before I send a worker or show up to look at it. I think it drives them crazy, and they probably think I am being difficult, but like I said in my post a while ago I am trying to teach them to fish, not just give them fish.
Perhaps not so silly. Maybe it is human nature to feel that we are letting those we care about down when we fail to help them. Maybe the real issue is when we have no one to let down and only act for ourselves?
They will ever appreciate it, until no one is there to help them.
You are probably right on all counts!