Dear Grandpa,

I am not happy with you all the time. The thing I don’t like about you is that you make us go to your house thrice a week for studying. You always give my brother and I so much work and I feel bored and tired.

You often tell us about your father, a teacher. He would not teach you at home but told you to study on your own. I actually wish you were like him, but you keep giving us a lot of work and when we protest, you say, “It’s for your own good!” I hate those words because I don’t like to do work.

I confess I like to play more than study. I am afraid I often do not come up to your expectations. I promise I will try harder because “it’s for my own good”.

I know you love me very much because you are always concerned about me, for example when I am sick. Sometimes when you go out you will buy me something I like.

You teach us Math and English but also encourage us to do other things. When I was only five, you made us take part in a marathon. You said ‘ma-ra-thon’, to show that a lot of effort was needed. But the children only ran 750 meters! You even trained us. You took us to the nearby park and made us run round the playground while you sat on one of the benches and told us to keep moving. I won a medal and was very happy. Since then I have taken part in other races and won prizes! Thank you coach!

You even taught me how to cut an apple into bite-sized pieces. During school holidays you take us out to Orchard Road, to watch a film, a restaurant, the airport and other places. I like these occasions. Let’s make a deal! I only go to your house once a week. No? I thought so!

You are a very funny person too. You play all sorts of tricks on us. You always called me your favourite granddaughter although you only had one granddaughter. Now that you have two – I wonder what you will say now!

When I was young, you and Grandma took my brother and me to church. You wore a tie and the sash of a warden. One day I said,”Wow Grandpa, I did not know you were a priest!” You said, “I’m not a priest, I’m a warden!” Everyone laughed. Mama and Nicholas were with us.

I love you Grandpa because you really love us. I know I can always count on you when I have a problem. You helped me when I wanted to change my CCA and when I was being bullied. Thank you for being my Grandpa!