Eid Mubarak

I was blessed with high temperature running the whole 12am-6am, followed by pain in the joints and muscle. Am I prematurely aging or what?

The cough syrup kicked me off to slumberland only to be woken up by ridiculous banging on our front door. I couldn't do much but hand down the notes to them and off they went without any wish nor saying their thanks.

I woke up at 4pm, feeling better eventhough the joints still ache annoyingly. There are not that many kids circling in our flat, collecting money. A loss on my side =(. However, it's such a good opportunity to collect good points in my book written by Atid.

If the kids come and say salaam, it makes your heart swells. If they don't it's your opportunity to teach them to say salaam. You say it first, and then remind them to say salaam if they go to someone house after this.

I went to collect money myself when I was small and we were always depleted of our drinks before noon.
So I guess it's wise to ask them if they are thirsty or hungry and offer them food and drinks. This is the part of collecting duit raya that I cherished. It's the only time you invite strangers into your household and replenish them. If they are full, don't push down the drinks and food down their throat. As a kid I was threatened that if I don't drink and eat, I shall not get the money. It was humiliating so I am reminding myself to not do that now that I am on the other end of giving.

And one more thing that I realised today is that to ask them if they have prayed or not. If they haven't, offer them your place for them to pray. If they have already prayed or are delaying it, remind them to not miss their pray and about the benefit of hastening to pray.

Lastly, give them their deserved money. Nobody said thanks to me but one kid take my hand and said "Selamat Hari Raya". I was of course happy. If they don't you can say it first and teach them to say thank you if they don't seem to be practising it.

Remember the kids bring you a lot of opportunities of gaining good points that may help you in the future.
And when I shall have my own kids, I shall teach them all these things, inshaallah.