The document is a collection of stories showing a child asking parents for expensive items like phones, clothes, overseas trips, and motorbikes. Each time, the child is reminded of the importance of virtues like contentment, compassion, and helping others less fortunate. In the end, the document encourages cultivating good character through reducing wants, counting blessings, helping those in need, and caring for and sharing with others.

1. 1

2. 2
Mummy,
You have to
buy for me
the RM2000
smart phone!
My friends
have it.
Mummy, I don’t really
need a smart phone as
yet. I see many of my
friends wasting their
money on pre-paid
cards!
My education is more
important than aimless
chit-chatting, playing
games and gossiping
through SMS on the cell
phone. All this can wait.

3. 3
Daddy, I am going to
work after my
Form 3. The monthly
allowance you give
me is not enough!
After my Form 3, it’d be good for
me to do more reading, writing,
improve my computer knowledge
and help more in the home.
I need more money
to dye my hair, buy
cosmetics, and those
branded dresses I
see my friends
wearing.
My foolish friends
are so
materialistic … I
know one day
they will regret
their actions.

4. 4
Mummy, how
can I eat the
lousy food you
cook? Let me
have RM10 to
go to
McDonald’s to
have a decent
meal!
Thank you
Mummy for
the delicious
food you
cooked. We are
indeed very
lucky. So many
poor ones are
dying of
hunger in
Africa.

5. 5
I am fed-up of
the same old-fashioned
clothes I have!
Mummy, I need to have
some hot pants, mini-
skirts, low-cut dresses ,
see-through blouses and
tight jeans! The Hong
Kong Stars wear them!
All I need are some
simple clothes and
I’m content. We
should donate the
money saved to the
poor who do not
even have proper
clothes.

6. 6
Daddy, I am
going over to
my friend’s
house to do
some school
revision. I am
not coming
back for dinner.
(Lying)
I’m going to have a
fine time at the cyber
café.
Daddy, I’ll
be using
the
Computer
for about
an hour to
help me in
my
Project.
The Internet can be
very useful. It’s
unfortunate many of
my friends are
abusing it … playing
network games
always, aimless chit-
chatting…

7. 7
School is so
boring. I shall
phone my
friends to go
shopping
and dancing
in the disco
…
It’s my duty
and
responsibility
to study hard.
My parents are
working so
hard for my
education.

8. 8
Daddy,
I’m getting
bored. I
want to
have an
I-pod, a
powerful
digital
camera and
a smart
phone!
I have simple
needs. A
simple CD
player makes
me happy.
I think I’ll help
to teach the
poor children
to sing and
dance.
All my
expensive
things will
attract the girls!

9. 9
Daddy, the
school holidays
are coming.
You must bring
us overseas for
the holidays … I
don’t want local
places!
During the
school
holidays, I’d
have more
time for my
hobbies …
jogging,
chess … I
can also
help in the
Community
Library.

10. 10
I’ll be in
Form 4
next year,
Daddy.
You have
to buy for
me a
motor
bike. Ah
Soh has
one!
Thanks
Mummy for
the pet dog.
I’ll look after it
with
responsibility,
care and love.

11. 11
I need lots of
money … to buy
my Reebok,
tickets for the
pop concert,
gifts for my
girlfriends on
Valentine’s Day,
a Sony Play
Station …
These
stories of the
poverty and
suffering of
so many
people are
really
touching.
The poor
indeed need
help.

12. 12
For Your Wise Reflection
* When will we reduce our ‘wanting’, desires and
greed? They will bring us to much suffering.
* When will we learn to count our blessings and
be content with what we have? There are so
many suffering ones out there in our world.
* When will we open out our hearts in loving-
kindness and compassion for people in need?
* When will we realize that to be truly good
people we need to care and share?
* Virtues and moral character are most important.
This will lead to success and happiness.
With Metta, Bro. Oh Teik Bin
The End