Parents’ Corner
Children: Our Blossoming Flowers
Asif Jahanzayb Attari Madani
(Jami’at al-Madinah graduate; working in children’s literature Department of al-Madinat al-’Ilmiyyah, Karachi)
Paradisical scenes of lush fields and orchards lined with rows upon rows of trees hanging with delicious fruits are not only aesthetically pleasing but promote mental wellbeing too. Of course, such wonderful sights are the result of arduous work and labour that often goes unnoticed. From raking the ground and sewing seeds to protecting the new-born saplings against pests, the journey from seed to shade-giving tree is a long process of nurturing and care.
Some weeds grow by themselves, and the gardener studiously removes them to protect his plants. Whether the heat of summer or the cold of winter, he goes to great lengths to protect the fragile plants from the elements. After this struggle, some become fragrant flowers, others fruit-bearing and shade-providing trees. Every part of such a tree then offers benefits of some kind.
Just as a plant needs constant care, children need ongoing guidance and nurturing for them to grow into responsible, moral, and successful adults. Your parental responsibility is not fulfilled by simply enrolling the child into a madrassa or school. Here are a few key pointers to help you:
1. Similar to how crops are given nutrients through fertilizer and water, the child’s mind should be nourished with knowledge of Islamic beliefs and morals. This will safeguard them against the proliferation of unethical ideas that we see today.
2. In the way growing plants are provided with light, a child should be supplied the light of high-quality education. Their mental ability, talents, and capability shall remain intact as a result, blossoming as they grow. If you pay close attention to providing them high quality knowledge now, they will go on to become civil members of society.
3. Just as steps are taken to protect crops and plants against pests and the elements, you should guard your child against bad company.
4. Trees and crops are cultivated for a specific purpose. Likewise, a child should be inculcated with wholesome aims such as serving Islam; living a purposeful life, and helping humanity, to name a few.
If the education, upbringing, environment, and even what you feed your child is properly taken care of from the beginning, said child will undoubtedly grow to have the best education, possess the best character, and live their life as a successful individual. Not only will you and your child benefit from this, but those around them will do the same.
Comments