Point out that the assigned task must be completed, there is no question about that. What can be discussed is who can help and how much. You can give them ideas about how a sister, an uncle, a neighbor, or staff at the public library can help them. My own mother did so when I needed to get three letters of recommendation. She gave me ideas about who to call, but I had to do the calling myself.
People often learn bad thinking habits.
They tend to see only what they don't have, what they lack to do a job. The same thing happens with students. When their teachers ask for projects, they give examples of how these can be done. Students then think this is the only way of doing something. You can let your children know that when an example is given, it is just that, one way of doing things.