Our parents and loved ones give gifts to us and please us. As kids, the best gifts we can give to our parents are our love and affection. Many people find it easy to take a gift but hard to give something back.

When my birthday came this year, my mummy and daddy told me that on this birthday I had to give them a gift. The gift that they wanted was that I should always listen to them.

So on this birthday of mine, I promised them that I would always listen to and obey them, and I try never to break this promise that I made to my parents.

We celebrate birthdays with family and friends. We get together and have a lot of fun. Gifts and good wishes for the future are given to the birthday boy or girl. It is only right that the person whose birthday it is also gives back something in return to those close to him or her, like the parents, and I am not talking about things in material terms but in terms of our affection and good behaviour.

A birthday is also about giving and taking promises. So on this birthday I also promised Allah that the mistakes I made in the past years, I will try my level best not to make them again. As it is rightly said that, “To do a mistake is not a mistake but, to repeat a mistake is a mistake.”

Furthermore, we should do good deeds like help our parents, not make a fuss, study hard, stay positive and help others. I make this promise because my family members wish that I should be a really good, nice and helpful person.

Sometimes children get attracted by the craze of toys, computers, tablets, TV and smart phones, etc., however, I would like to suggest that never get attracted by these things because at times our parents can’t afford to get expensive things for us. Hence, children need to understand the position of their parents. Children should tell their parents that they don’t want anything except love and warmth.

We have to be the strength of our parents because our parents work hard to give us a good life, to meet all the expenses for food, utility bills, medical, education and other necessities. Seeing all these challenges, it is our duty to support our family by concentrating on our studies and not making expensive demands.

Apart from that the law and order of our country is awful, it is our responsibility to take care of ourselves, we should not go out with friends at all times and riding bikes recklessly is life threatening.

When our parents will get old we need to be their insurance and support them like they supported us.

I will give gifts to my parents by getting high marks in examinations because my family members wish that I become a really good and successful person. I love you all, dear family.

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 20th, 2015