Friday, March 30, 2012

To Praise Or Not To Praise

Mami asked me this question on the way home from school : "Benjamin, should I be praising you or not praising you?"

As soon as I jumped into Mami's car after school today, I told her "Mami, something happened in school. My friend SM didn't have an eraser and he asked me for RM1.00 to buy an eraser. I am sorry I had to use your money and gave him RM1.00".

Mami reminded me that the money she gave me to keep in my bag was for emergency purposes and I was not to use it unless it was very important. I replied to her that I was just being kind and nice. He needed an eraser. I was just helping a friend.

Mami was speechless. So she asked me the question and I immediately replied "Of course you should praise me. I was being a nice person".

Mami admitted that I was nice but told me that she was concerned about other friends asking for money from me and she didn't want it to be a habit. She asked me another question "Benjamin, if another friend were to ask you for another RM1.00 tomorrow, would you give him/her?" I replied "Yes Mami. I need to be a nice person".

Mami did not praise me, neither did she scold me. She said that she would discuss this with Dadi to see what would be the most appropriate learning lessons for me.

On a separate note, my friend SM must have told his mother after school today because Mami received a message from his mother via FB. SM's mother apologised and said that SM would return the RM1 to me tomorrow in school. How nice of my friend to be honest with his mother.

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