Parenting

Time seem to have fly so fast. We sent our first child to his first formal school in 1997. He was seven years old then. Today, the first day of 2012, I am sewing Aiman's school uniform to shorten its length. Seven years old this year, he will start his first formal school next wednesday. A 15 years gap from our first child. It's like the second phase of our parenting life. Three of my kids are already in various universities. My forth child will start her last year of schooling with Aiman.

Some people measure the success of parenting with how good the kids are in their academic life. To us that is the secondary part. The first and foremost criteria of parenting success to us is how good a muslim they are. Are they setting good examples to their friends without having to preach, for actions speak louder than words. Are they performing their prayer in congregation instead of praying alone? Do they say their prayer and sit down to eat? Are they reading the Holy Qur'an everyday?..............

From time to time we have to remind them again the same things that we always reminded them of in the past. For we human always err (make mistakes) and we always forget. Dr Fadhilah Kamsah, a well known motivator, said we have to remind our kids at least 200 times before they can remember. And in most cases we haven't reach that 200 time limit yet. So we will always be patient and keep on reminding. May Allah ease our job as parents. We will be asked by Allah in judgement day wether we have done our best as parents.

Ya Allah. When we pass away let our children remember to pray for us everyday. Amin.

May Allah bless us all.