Parents and Child Rearing
- By solomon2day
- On 02/06/2020
The issue of institutional discipline rectitude need to span through the phases of the home, school, houses of worship, places of work, the society at large for the nation to benefit.
This is why moral instruction must be stressed an entrenched part of our curriculum of formal, informal and non-formal education which are highly essential to the sociological interactions of humans.
At the domestic front, child custody must be within the ambit of safe and secured environment that would make the child to be free from all forms of abuse-sexual and otherwise.
Parents must give credence to the values through which the want the society to respect their children beyond the mere rhetoric of passing instructions.
Children must be valued through love, care, respect, attention, protection, with the need for parents to meet up with their physiological needs of shelter, food and clothing. Children must not be left to the mercy of neighbors, who must have to be tested and trusted for appropriate additional guides to be in place. The custody of the child must see him or her through the developmental stages of teething, crawling, walking and the trouble shooting phases of the dental setting(growing of the teeth). Appropriate vaccines against the killer diseases right from the weeks of birth, with the continued attendance of the pediatrics to help him or her avoid the menace of infant mortality. The are of moral instruction largely depends on the integrity of the parents for them to be able to bring out of the best from the child/children.
All these are functions been responsive to the needs of the child and been responsible in caring for the child by the parents.
The routine feeding, birthing and other psychological therapy for the child’s relaxation and well being are the very kind of gratitude, the almighty Allah expects from all parents as summarized in the referential example of Luqman, defined as a fountain of wisdom based on the parental roles offered in rearing his won children-Quaran 3 : 12 refers ‘’We bestowed in the past wisdom on Luqman : ‘’Show thy gratitude to Allah’’, Any who is so grateful does so to the profit of his own soul : But if any is ungrateful, verily Allah is free of all wants, worthy of praises.’’
The emphasis from the above passage is on the fact that a show of gratitude or praise to Allah must go beyond been a matter of carrying out the expected responsibilities, in this case of matters of child rearing. The implication of doing things correctly, most especially following due process is that one remains as an image in a photograph forever, to either regret or appreciate his or her past actions or inaction in the future, so is the case in investing in our children through what it takes to groom future leaders.
For example, at the awareness level of the child’s impressionable age, it is better to sow a good seed of good character for the child to be permanently be the best in the nearest future even if one is no more around him or her because discipline is the bedrock of exemplary lifestyle.
However, two things are fundamental in rearing good children. His or her high recognition of Allah to live a Godly life and his or her reverence for parents, who are expected to be role models for the child to learn correctly through good instructions. For example, the provisions of the Holy Quaran 31 : 13–14 are sufficient case studies on this matter.
‘’Behold Luqman said to his son, Oh ! my son, join not in worship Allah with any others : For false worship is indeed the highest wrong doing’’.’’ And we have enjoined on man to be good to his parents : In travail upon travail did his mother bear him. And in years twain was weaning, so hear this command. ‘’Show gratitude to Me and the parents. To Me is thy final word.’’
It is important that parents must communicate effectively with their children, to be able to know their nature for appropriate and timely corrections to be given. Proverbs 27 : 23 equally emphasizes on this. ‘’ Watch your sheep and goats carefully. Be sure you care for them the best you can.’’ Be sure that you care for them the best you can.’’ Let us all are responsible parents to produce reliable future leaders from our homes for the society ,and the nation.
Prof. Sabitu Olagoke
Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide,Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria