Apologies if this has already been discussed in another thread but I really could not find it. Mods, feel free to move it if you have to.
I am finding this area a bot of a struggle if I am honest.
I have done everything I can possibly think of to get my kids into the habit of offering their namaz at the right timings every day without fail and I know as a mum it is my duty to keep reminding them everytime.
I have put up the timings on a wipe board (timings wiped off with a dry wipe everytime the times change) and next to it there is the rakaat chart. have explained to the kids to read the Fajr before school, Zuhr together with Asr, magrib after dinner and Isha before sleep. Now I understand they have homework and a lot involves using the computer. Before you know it, the time has lapsed and nothing is achieved.
Sometimes I have to really nag them and now Im sick of hearing my own voice. A friend once suggested I use bribery to get them motivated but is pocket money a good incentive? Shouldn’t reading namaz regularly be a good incentive in itself if it brings you closer to Allah? Am I a bad mum thinking about paying my kids to read namaz?
What have you guys done to encourage them? I know kids learn by watching and I am punctual in my prayers, what else can I do short of praying for them to take this on board? Would be grateful for your help guys, thanks!!
**i think an azaan calling clock works well. for the kids to do namaaz on-time, the adults in the house have to do their prayer on-time and ask the kids to join them. make a jamaa'at. even two people can offer prayer together in jam'at.
doing the prayers on-time, specially in the west, is a bit hard. i think parents must NOT insist all the time. if they are home then it's a different story.
also, give the job of reminding the namaaz time to the youngest child. he/she will be more than enthusiatic about his/her new found sense of being 'important'. this will also teach the child to be responsible of their duties.
Good Luck. inshaa Allah, things will get better with time and with lil effort.**
Thanks for that, I think the idea of an azzan clock is an excellent idea. Will deffo think about getting one of those, cheers again x
good luck and may Allah's blessings be with u and ur family...aameen :)
Apologies if this has already been discussed in another thread but I really could not find it. Mods, feel free to move it if you have to.
I am finding this area a bot of a struggle if I am honest.
I have done everything I can possibly think of to get my kids into the habit of offering their namaz at the right timings every day without fail and I know as a mum it is my duty to keep reminding them everytime.
I have put up the timings on a wipe board (timings wiped off with a dry wipe everytime the times change) and next to it there is the rakaat chart. have explained to the kids to read the Fajr before school, Zuhr together with Asr, magrib after dinner and Isha before sleep. Now I understand they have homework and a lot involves using the computer. Before you know it, the time has lapsed and nothing is achieved.
Sometimes I have to really nag them and now Im sick of hearing my own voice. A friend once suggested I use bribery to get them motivated but is pocket money a good incentive? Shouldn't reading namaz regularly be a good incentive in itself if it brings you closer to Allah? Am I a bad mum thinking about paying my kids to read namaz?
What have you guys done to encourage them? I know kids learn by watching and I am punctual in my prayers, what else can I do short of praying for them to take this on board? Would be grateful for your help guys, thanks!!
And if they are in their teens....nothing will work other than their own will to pray... U can force them to stand there and do sajdas one after the other... It wont mean anything....
U just have to keep doing it ureself.... Keep mentioning jhanum and its azaab for the non prayers.... Offer dars with help of some books, and try to make a masjid day...maybe get them involved with the local mosque with activities for the youth.... Rest is up to them.
I know it sounds kinda weird but ive been there s a kid.. I hated my mom going on and on bout prayers.... Bo my parents have and still are good with their prayers.... But growing up oh my god the more my mom told me to pray...the more i hated it...
So dont shove it down their throats.... As a parent its difficult and i know im gonna try me level best too when my child gets to that age... But i also know im not gonna have any control over it either.
Guys, my girls are 12 and 11 and my son is 8. They are old enough to understand its importance in the life of a Muslim and they know the rewards promised by Allah etc. We all go to Friday prayers during the half term break and there are many activities they engage in at their local Mosque. I do namaz when I can and my toddler joins in, copying me but I would rather my older kids did that too.
U keep praying...preach too but not a whole lot that rhey start to despise
Maybe if its possible, do isha prayer together as a family.
How is ure husband helping in this cause? If family prayer isnt possible... Make the girls pray with u and get son to pray with dad. Even one prayer will do for now....
My mom did that with us kids... And then after maghrib prayer w knew we had dars with dad.... Just a 15 min sermon on anything really
Dad even had a trick.... When he felt we were getting loose with our prayers... Up would pop the life after death sermon :d and we wpuld be back to praying ourselves hehe.
As long as u set a firm base, know ure kids will at one point or anoer come back to their prayers.... I did... My siblings did...yes it did piss the folks off quite a bit vut they learned to let go... Would still remind us of prayer butu cant force a teenor 20 yr old to pray..... But faith was there....
You need to keep them engaged. Make each kid in-charge for namaz on alternate days. That kid will tell every other kid to get ready and pray in a group. It will promote family bond too. Make it a family group activity. Take a white board and write for each namaz who will be in-charge of reminding others. Make it duty of your son to say azan at the namaz time. Keep score of each month on white board as to who prayed how many namaz that day , that week and that month , that will turn it into a competition. You can have a worldly reward like you will make that special dish if the whole family meets certain target . Family gets to eat out at the kids favorite place. The person with highest score gets a surprise gift. Be creative , these are all pointers you can take cue and come up with your own ideas.
have your son lead the prayers once in a while and say the adhaan and the iqaamah
have your daughter set up the janamazs.
You could even download IslamicFinder on your computer/laptop and it will say the Adhaan at the specific times.
have Namaz charts and have ur kids check off which namazes they have prayed
go out to read magrib to the masjid as a family. go out for dinner at that time as well
teach them about what namaz is. why they do it, the history of reading 5x a day (instead of 50), translate what they are reading
teach my setting an example. Make sure you, hubby and the rest of your family (grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins) also pray together. Even if you are at dawats or out, and its time to pray, even if no one is praying, make sure that you guys as a family pray.
dont try to integrate islam into your life..integrate your life into islam.