Imagine the surprise and bewilderment of a mother when her 8-year-old daughter returned home from school one day, her backpack carrying a whopping RM1,550 (about SGD$450)
This astonishing story comes from Penang, Malaysia, where a mother found herself facing a parenting predicament that she never anticipated.
A Windfall of Unexpected Wealth
The mother took to the ‘UTAR Confessions – ALL Rejected / Censor Original Post’ Facebook page to share her tale. Her daughter, a Standard 2 student, typically received RM50 per week as lunch money and for other school expenses. However, a shopping trip to Gurney Paragon Mall in Penang revealed a hidden secret.
While exploring the mall, the young schoolgirl’s eyes were fixated on a fashionable bag with a hefty price tag of RM899. She insisted on having it, claiming that all her friends possessed the same bag. Understandably, the mother hesitated due to the exorbitant cost.
An Unveiling Surprise
The turning point came when the 8-year-old girl confidently declared that she had enough money to purchase the coveted bag.
To the mother’s shock, the child then took out RM1,550 from her school bag. This unexpected turn of events left the mother in utter disbelief, as she had only given her daughter RM50.
Curiosity compelled the mother to inquire about the source of this substantial sum. The daughter, in a burst of excitement, divulged that she had been engaged in gambling with her friends during lunch breaks. This revelation raised eyebrows and sparked concern.
To provide context, the 8-year-old girl attends an international school where most of her classmates hail from high-income backgrounds. Many of them receive daily allowances of RM100 or more.
Seeking Guidance from the Online Community
With a mixture of emotions swirling within her, the mother turned to the online community for advice. She was torn between wanting to guide her daughter towards a path of strong morals and fearing that she might be suppressing a budding talent.
The responses from netizens varied widely. Some believed that the mother should take immediate action to instill morals in her daughter, emphasizing that such gambling activities should not be encouraged. They stressed the importance of nurturing virtues in young minds.
Contrary to this viewpoint, a majority of commenters perceived the young girl’s ability to accumulate wealth through gambling as a potential skill. They argued that the mother should consider nurturing this talent, provided it did not lead to any negative consequences or ethical dilemmas.
