Child's Bill of Rights

My son came home from school one day,
with a silly grin on his face,
He thought he was smarter than me, his mom,
and he could put me in my place.

HE SAID:
Guess what I learned in Civics Two,
that's taught by Mr. Nelson,
It's about the laws of the land, today,
its called the Children's Bill of Rights.

IT SAYS:
That I don't have to clean my room,
I don't even have to cut my hair,
Nobody can tell me what I can eat,
or choose the clothes I wear.

IT SAID:
Freedom of speech is my constitutional guarantee,
and its my choice of what I read, or what I watch on T.V.
I have the freedom of religion, and regardless of what you say,
I don't have to ask your God for help---I don't have to pray.

IT SAID:
I can wear an earring in my ear,
and if I want to--I can pierce my nose,
It's my choice if I so desire,
to tattoo Satan's numbers--across my toes.

Hey, if ever again you try to spank me,
I will charge you with the crime,
and I can back up all my charges,
With the marks on my behind.

HE SAID, NOW:
Don't ever touch my body again,
this body of mine is for me to use,
And not for your hugs and kisses and stuff,
that's just another form of child abuse.

HE CONTINUED WITH:
And stop trying to fill my head with morals,
like your mama did to you,
Things like that are called mind control,
And that's illegal too!

Mom, I have these Children's Rights,
you can't do a thing to me,
I can call the Children's Services,
better known as C. S. D.

MY TURN ---
My very first impression was,
to toss this boy right out the door,
But here was a chance to teach him a lesson,
for once and for ever more.

I took my time and mulled it over,
but something like this I couldn't let go,
This kid of mine didn't realize,
that he was messing with a pro!

AND AWAY WE GO!
The next day we went shopping,
very much to his dismay,
I didn't buy him 501s
or shirts designed by Nike.

I had called and talked to the C. S. D.,
they said that they didn't really care,
If I bought him Volume shoes,
or a pair of Nike Airs.

AND THEN:
I canceled his appointment with DMV,
so he could test his driving skills,
I'd probably be dead by now for sure,
If only looks could kill!

I SAID:
By the way, I don't have time to stop and eat,
or pick up stuff for you to munch,
I think you should follow C. S. D.'s advice,
And make yourself a big sack lunch.

So, you say what? That you're not hungry,
that you can wait until dinner time?
Well, I am fixing liver and onions,
Cause that a favorite dish of mine.

Can we stop to get a movie,
so you can watch on the VCR?
Gosh no! I sold what was your T.V.,
And bought four new tires for my car.

I also rented out your room,
sorry, you really don't need a bed,
All I really have to do for you,
Is put a roof over your head.

As long as I have to buy your clothes,
and the food that you must eat,
The money I gave you for an allowance,
Is going to buy me something neat.

No more eating after we shop,
no more joking along the way,
Son, I too have Bill of Rights
That goes into effect today.

What's the matter, why are you crying?
What are you doing down on your knees?
Why are you asking God to help you,
Instead of C. S. D.?

Author Unknown

HEART

A chat with Dr.Devi Shetty, Narayana Hrudayalaya
(Heart Specialist) Bangalore was arranged by WIPRO for its employees. The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone.


Qn: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?

Ans:
1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Qn: Is eating non-veg food (fish) good for the heart?

Ans: No

Qn: It's still a grave shock to hear that some apparently healthy person
gets a cardiac arrest. How do we understand it in perspective?

Ans: This is called silent attack; that is why we recommend everyone past the age of 30 to undergo routine health checkups.

Qn: Are heart diseases hereditary?

Ans: Yes

Qn: What are the ways in which the heart is stressed? What practices do you suggest to de-stress?


Ans: Change your attitude towards life. Do not look for perfection in everything in life.

Qn: Is walking better than jogging or is more intensive exercise required to keep a healthy heart?

Ans: Walking is better than jogging since jogging leads to early fatigue and injury to joints.

Qn: You have done so much for the poor and needy. What has inspired you to do so?

Ans: Mother Theresa, who was my patient.

Qn: Can people with low blood pressure suffer heart diseases?

Ans: Extremely rare

Qn: Does cholesterol accumulates right from an early age
(I'm currently only 22) or do you have to worry about it only after you are above 30 years of age?

Ans: Cholesterol accumulates from childhood.

Qn: How do irregular eating habits affect the heart?

Ans: You tend to eat junk food when the habits are irregular and your body's enzyme release for digestion gets confused.

Qn: How can I control cholesterol content without using medicines?

Ans: Control diet, walk and eat walnut.

Qn: Can yoga prevent heart ailments?

Ans: Yoga helps.

Qn: Which is the best and worst food for the heart?

Ans: Fruits and vegetables are the best and the worst is oil.

Qn: Which oil is better - groundnut, sunflower, olive?

Ans: All oils are bad .

Qn: What is the routine checkup one should go through? Is there any specific test?

Ans: Routine blood test to ensure sugar, cholesterol is ok. Check BP, Treadmill test after an echo.

Qn: What are the first aid steps to be taken on a heart attack?

Ans: Help the person into a sleeping position , place an aspirin tablet under the tongue with a sorbitrate tablet if available, and rush him to a coronary care unit since the maximum casualty takes place within the first hour.

Qn: How do you differentiate between pain caused by a heart attack and that caused due to gastric trouble?

Ans: Extremely difficult without ECG.

Qn: What is the main cause of a steep increase in heart problems amongst youngsters? I see people of about 30-40 yrs of age having heart attacks and serious heart problems.

Ans: Increased awareness has increased incidents. Also, sedentary lifestyles, smoking, junk food, lack of exercise in a country where people are genetically three times more vulnerable for heart attacks than Europeans and Americans.

Qn: Is it possible for a person to have BP outside the normal range of 120/80 and yet be perfectly healthy?

Ans: Yes.

Qn: Marriages within close relatives can lead to heart problems for the child. Is it true?

Ans: Yes, co-sanguinity leads to congenital abnormalities and you may not have a software engineer as a child

Qn: Many of us have an irregular daily routine and many a times we have to stay late nights in office. Does this affect our heart? What precautions would you recommend?

Ans: When you are young, nature protects you against all these irregularities. However, as you grow older, respect the biological clock.

Qn: Will taking anti-hypertensive drugs cause some other complications (short / long term)?

Ans: Yes, most drugs have some side effects. However, modern anti-hypertensive drugs are extremely safe.

Qn: Will consuming more coffee/tea lead to heart attacks?

Ans: No.

Qn: Are asthma patients more prone to heart disease?

Ans: No.

Qn: How would you define junk food?

Ans: Fried food like Kentucky, McDonalds, samosas, and even masala dosas.

Qn: You mentioned that Indians are three times more vulnerable. What is the reason for this, as Europeans and Americans also eat a lot of junk food?

Ans: Every race is vulnerable to some disease and unfortunately, Indians are vulnerable for the most expensive disease.

Qn: Does consuming bananas help reduce hypertension?

Ans: No.

Qn: Can a person help himself during a heart attack (Because we see a lot of forwarded emails on this)?

Ans: Yes. Lie down comfortably and put an aspirin tablet of any description under the tongue and ask someone to take you to the nearest coronary care unit without any delay and do not wait for the ambulance since most of the time, the ambulance does not turn up.

Qn: Do, in any way, low white blood cells and low hemoglobin count lead to heart problems?

Ans: No. But it is ideal to have normal hemoglobin level to increase your exercise capacity.

Qn: Sometimes, due to the hectic schedule we are not able to exercise. So, does walking while doing daily chores at home or climbing the stairs in the house, work as a substitute for exercise?

Ans: Certainly. Avoid sitting continuously for more than half an hour and even the act of getting out of the chair and going to another chair and sitting helps a lot.

Qn: Is there a relation between heart problems and blood sugar?

Ans: Yes, a strong relationship, since diabetics are more vulnerable to heart attacks than non-diabetics.

Qn: What are the things one needs to take care of after a heart operation?

Ans: Diet, exercise, drugs on time , Control cholesterol, BP, weight.

Qn: Are people working on night shifts more vulnerable to heart disease when compared to day shift workers?

Ans: No.

Qn: What are the modern anti-hypertensive drugs?

Ans: There are hundreds of drugs and your doctor will chose the right combination for your problem, but my suggestion is to avoid the drugs and go for natural ways of controlling blood pressure by walk, diet to reduce weight and changing attitudes towards lifestyles.

Qn: Does dispirin or similar headache pills increase the risk of heart attacks?

Ans: No.

Qn: Why is the rate of heart attacks more in men than in women?

Ans: Nature protects women till the age of 45.

Qn: How can one keep the heart in a good condition?

Ans: Eat a healthy diet, avoid junk food, exercise everyday, do not smoke and, go for health checkup if you are past the age of 30 ...

RUMAH KELUARGA KAMI (OUR FAMILY HOME) - Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Some of the children from the Rumah Keluarga Kami

Rumah Keluarga Kami (RKK) was set up in 1990 with the aim to provide shelter for underprivileged, abused and abandoned children irrespective of race, creed or religion and is a project of the society of St.Vincent D'Paul, Malaysia.

In the 17 years since it was formed, more than 190 children have come to live in this home. Currently the house has 40 children cared for by 4 full time staff and about 16 volunteers. The children who come from very difficult backgrounds are given all the basic amenities and necessities and all school going children are placed in government schools and provided with additional tuition.

As this is a charity home, the operations are funded strictly from well-wishers and public donations. The home requires about RM16,000.00 a month to meet its operating overheads. The home is proud to announce that some of the children have excelled in their studies in the various examinations. One of the girls have graduated with a degree in Business Information System and another completed with Diploma in Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Management. (Both are from Sunway University.) There are seven teenagers continuing their skill training in Montfort Boys Town, Selangor.

As part of its commitment, RKK intends to purchase the adjoining plot of land to build a house for the boys wing which is currently in a rented premises. In order to achieve this objective, RKK is organising its 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, 8th September 2007 at Kelab Golf Perhidmatan Awam Malaysia (KGPA) Bukit Kiara, Off Jalan Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. To those Golf enthusiasts, why not have a round of friendly game and do charity at the same time? For non-golfers, you can contribute by joining the dinner and prize presentation ceremony, (and be a sponsor for the prizes too!.)

For those who wish to donate to the home directly, kindly make your payment in favour of : "Yayasan Ozanam" and all donations will be tax exempt.

Your generosity and support will go a long way in helping and shaping the children's future.

For inquiries to the 9th Annual Golf Tournament 2007，please contact:

YAYASAN OZANAM (SSVP- RUMAH KELUARGA KAMI)
No:139, Jalan Bukit, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 03-87367877
Fax:03-87371581
email: rumahkkm@tm.net.my

A 100 YEARS FROM NOW

A hundred years from now no one will remember
How much money I had in the bank
what kind of car I drove
or what kind of job I had.

But I will be remembered
as someone special
because I made a difference
in the life of a child.

Author Unknown

"FEEDING THE NEEDY" CHARITY DRIVE

The "Feeding The Needy" fund raising campaign is part of the year long program organised by The Buddhist Maha Vihara (BMV) in memory of and to honour a great human being, the late Dr. K. Sri. Dhammandanda.

The objective of this campaign is to provide food provisions and other essentials to 120 under-privileged families.

In order not to burden the under-privileged by going to the Buddhist Maha Vihara ("BMV") at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur to receive food and donation, BMV instead planned to distribute the essential provisions by holding a "Charity Drive" on Sunday, 19 August 2007 to send the items to the needy. The provisions which are packed into cartons are : 10kg of rice; 5kg of cooking oil; 1.2kg Milo; 2kg sugar; 800gm biscuits; 2cans sardines, 1kg margarine; 1kg salt; toothpaste; 3 per pack toothbrush. Each food carton weighs approximately 12kg and one 10kg of rice.

BMV is requesting interested volunteers and volunteers with own vehicles to help by:

1. Offer your services to drive / deliver the food cartons to an under-privileged family.

2. Offer to help in the charity drive.

The locations are as follows:

Location No.of Homes / Families Drivers & Volunteers needed
Batu Arang 1 Home 1 car (to carry 3 cartons)
Rawang 1 Family 1 Home 1 car (to carry 4 cartons)
Puchong 4 Families 2 cars (to carry 2 cartons each)
Puchong Jaya 3 Families 1 car (to carry 3 cartons)
Len Seng, Cheras 4 Families 1 car (to carry 4 cartons)
9th Miles, Cheras 10 Families 3 cars (to carry 10 cartons)
Jalan Loke Yew 2 Families 1 car (to carry 2 cartons)
Shah Alam 1 Family 1 car (to carry 1 carton)
Jalan Peel 1 Family 1 car (to carry 1 carton)
Carey Island 65 Families-Bus Provided Volunteers to help deliver

For those who wish to volunteer, a briefing will be held on Friday, 17^th August 2007 at 6.30pm at the BMV Wisdom Room.

Please contact, Sis Pamela at 016-3690191 or 03-90749261 or call Buddhist Maha Vihara at: 03-22741141 Fax: 03-22732570 if you wish to assist.

The Buddhist Maha Vihara is located at:
123, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

DHAMMANANDA’S THOUGHTS

"Happy is he who has lofty and noble aspirations.
Happy is he who enriches the lives of others.
Happy is he who allows others to live in peace.
Happy is he who makes this world a better place to live in.
Happy is he whose work, chores and daily tasks are labours of love.
Happy is he who loves love".

The Compassion Home, Subang Jaya

My hubby and I share a common belief in teaching our juniors, that is to inculcate compassion and kindness in them from young. That is the guiding principle of our children's upbringing.

We celebrated Valerie's 2nd birthday at The Compassion Home in USJ, Subang Jaya this afternoon with 14 brothers and sisters together with the home caretakers, Mr George and Mdm Teresa.

It was a wonderful gathering in a simple way.

We were truly amazed by the well manners demonstrated by the boys and girls. All of them came upfront to introduce themselves and started playing with Valerie and the rest of the party's guests. A prayer was said by a 15 year old boy after the birthday song was sung and followed by a pre-packed Kentucky Fried Chicken lunch.

The home was so well kept with all the children taking turns to clean the place and help out in the kitchen work. Some volunteers from a nearby college come periodically to clean and maintain the garden and the buildings. With everybody's effort, they make the home a very warm and homely place. Both Mr George and Mdm Teresa deserve all the praises for instilling strict discipline and moral teachings to the children, who were deprived of parental love. Both of them wanted to see the children grow up to be independent person and a useful citizen to the country, their love to the orphans are never lesser than that of their own.

Before I conclude, I must give credit to the Taipan USJ KFC outlet Manager, En Adly for his generosity by offering 2 sets of complimentary value meals for the home out of the total 23 sets we purchased. Also, not forgetting to thank The Taipan USJ Berry Cake Shop for giving a 10% discount for the 2 cakes that we bought over the counter this afternoon. Although these offers are not significant to many, but honestly, it is not that easy to obtain support from vendors when you are doing it on a personal basis.

For those of you who wish to do the same, here are some general information in organising a small party at orphanages or old folks homes:

1. Call up the identified home and ask for their choice of meal. (Of course to work within your budget.)
2. Buy some gifts for the children/old folks
3. Buy a birthday cake
4. Buy drinks and tibbits
5. Order your meal
6. Bring balloons and party packs
7. Budget in the caretakers and your contingent's portion of food and beverage
8. Don't forget lots of love and smile

In our case, for a home with 14 children, we spent about RM500. Don't you think that this is a very meaningful way of having a birthday party?

The group photo session

The "contingent"

Hi there big brother, my name is Valerie

Each child will get a gift too...


and a bit more...

The children helped to set up the place

Great team work, blowing balloons to brighten up the Home

KFC ... yummy


Mr George, the Home administrator

and the home that can make you fall asleep there

Here is the contact

More about The Compassion Home:

Compassion Home is part of a larger family of Persatuan Rumah K.I.D.S and Grace Community Services Bhd (GCSB) since July 1, 2003. The chairman, Rev. Dr. Henry Ramaya is the visionary founder of GCSB - a charitable organization with various social works that include underprivileged children homes, a drug and alcoholic rehabilitation center, homes for homeless and destitute women and unwed mothers, HIV hospice and home for juvenile delinquents.
There are some ways that you can partner with Rumah K.I.D.S. to offer help and care for the children like giving donations in cash or in kind, providing a meal, offering free tuition and doing voluntary work at the homes.

For further enquiry, please contact:

Persatuan Rumah Kanak-kanak Ini Di Sayangi (Rumah KIDS)
7, Jalan Durian, Off Jalan Dato Dollah
41100 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel/Fax: 03-3373 3400
Email: r_kids@tm.net.my
Website: www.grace-intl.com

New Telephone Contact to The Compassion Home:
03-56379366
Mr George

Happy Birthday My Little Darling

Hey, my little darling Valerie will be turning 2 on 8 Aug.

Guess what? We are planning a birthday do at an orphanage near our home in Subang Jaya tomorrow, it is called The Compassion Home with 14 children aged between 7 to 15 years old.

My sweetie is beginning to pick up Mandarin now with very simple words. She is a little slower in picking up words as compared to other kids her age. Probably because of us speaking to her in multi-languages at home. But we are not rushing her any where, she has all the time so long she is healthy and chirpy everyday.

Valerie on the day she was born on 8 Aug 2005

Turning one year old

... and now

Here's a nice message I've received from a friend that will surely warm your heart ... happy reading:

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and learned that little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who do not.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I will have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt but it is all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking!"

~ Author Unknown ~

Something for all of us to ponder about