Parenting is so COOL! two little stories to share.

The beautiful Mercy of Allah who puts love and mercy in the hearts of parents

STORY ONE: ABOUT LOVE

My son came and sat down beside me, staring at me as I was reciting Qur'an. It usually means he wants something, a drink, some food, request for a new toy...I looked at him irritated. "What do you want?" I yelped. (In my mind I was thinking...why do you kids always have to disturb me when I'm doing something important?)

He looked at me hesitating to speak.
"Come on, just say what you want!" I was getting more frustrated.

He plucked up the courage to finally speak his mind. He said "Mummy, one day if i ever love my wife more will you remind me?" I looked him, bit surprised by his question.
"What do you mean?" I asked "If you love your wife more than who, Allah?"
He said, "No, if I love her more than you."
His face was serious..."will you please remind me!"
Oh...how my heart melted like butter. "Come here, baby" I said putting my arms around him.
"Mack!" I said calling his pet name. "Love is not like a cake where you have given me one whole cake and when you have a wife, you have to cut the cake into half to give half to me and half to your wife. Love is not something solid that has to be divided. Love is something that grows. The more you give, the more it grows."

"First of all..."I continued "You should love Allah number ONE and the Prophet SAW." Then, you have your responsibility towards your mom, your siblings, your wife and kids but love is not something where the more you share, the less it becomes. Love is enough for everyone. Also, inshaAllah I too will love your wife and she will love me and so there will be more love to share with more people, okay?"

His serious face broke into a smile. "Oh! I think I understand" he said.

WELL, how do you explain love to a child? Even most adults do not understand it and poets have composed on it and writers have written on it but what is love? I don't know much but I do know that love is like a fruit tree, if you look after a fruit tree, nurture it and give it enough good soil, sun and water...it grows and it will produce more and more fruits. It is unrestricted and will give goodness to all those who appreciate it.

STORY TWO: ABOUT MAKING DUA

My daughter came into my room as I was lying down relaxing, having some 'ME' time.
"Mom! can we go and watch Batman?"
I was like..."What? it is Ramadhan and you want to go and watch a movie???"
"Yeah...well what's wrong with that?" she asked.
I said,"I mean, it is Ramadhan and people want to do Ibadat and read Qur'an. I don't want to watch a movie. I still have to catch up on so many Juz!"
She looked disappointed but she conceded and said "Oh! okay mom"

Then, the next day I went to KFC to buy food for Iftaar and guess what? They gave me two RM4.00 off coupons for TGV cinema. I didn't even realized it when I was ordering the food. I thought this is Rizk! So, I came home and said to my daughter. "Err...did you make dua?"
She said, "about what?"
Me, "About watching Batman."
She said, "no!"
Me, "Well, I've got two cinema coupons and so, I guess we could go and watch Batman if you want."
and so, we did end up watching "The Dark Knight rises" last night. It was entertaining and fun. We shared a cake before the movie and a Tropicana smoothie from Secret Recipe. We even had coupons off pop corns, so we shared a regular pop corn between us. She told me how happy she was for the mom and daughter bonding session.

I told my daughter, "see Fudge (her pet name). This is Ramadhan where whatever dua you make inshaAllah it will be granted. In fact, you didn't even have to make dua. you just need to say...'I want to watch Batman' and look! here we are. So, use this opportunity to make lots of dua during this month okay? Ask Allah for all good things, for Iman, taqwa, make it easy for us to practice Islam, for rizk, for health and NOT to watch Batman!" I said to her with a joking smile.

Children grow so fast...it is not easy to bring them up in this very challenging environment. May Allah SWT make it easy for us Ameen.

SOME PARENTING DUA

And those who pray, "Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous." 

Dua for a soleh/solehah child, for the child to love salah (prayer)