Eid-el-Maulud: What Parents Can Teach Children About Peace and Kindness
Eid-el-Maulud, the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is a time for Muslims to reflect on the values that can be instilled in children beyond the festivities.
The day can be more than a religious day for children. It can be used by parents to teach children about the importance of kindness, honesty, patience, respect and peaceful living in a practical way.
One of the key lessons is kindness. Parents can help children to be helpful, share and be caring to others who may be in need. Children can learn about compassion through simple things like helping a sibling, checking on a neighbour, sharing food.
Another value that parents can instill is honesty. Children can be taught that telling the truth is still significant even if it is hard. Parents can also share that trust is developed by being honest consistently.
The occasion can also provide an opportunity to teach patience and self-control. When things don’t go their way, children can become frustrated, but parents can help them learn to control their emotions and act peacefully.
Respect for others is also a key consideration. Parents can help children value others of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. Differences should not be a cause of bullying, exclusion or hatred.
Eid-el-Maulud can also be a time for children to learn about service and generosity. They can be engaged in providing food, clothing or other assistance to those in need.
Most importantly, children learn from what adults do. Forgiveness, fairness, compassion and peaceful communication are examples of behaviors that parents can model for children that they can bring to school, friendships and their communities.
These values can be taught to children as they celebrate Eid-el-Maulud, helping them to understand that celebrating the life of the Prophet is not just about remembering his birth, but also about practising the virtues that he taught.
