Rabi ul-Awal Mubarak!
As we usher in the beautiful month in which our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), the best of creation and mercy to all the worlds was born, let us be joyous and celebrate!
This month is a perfect time to bring the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to life in the lives of our children. They need him in their lives and in their hearts. To be the guide for them through his sunnah, through salawat, and through a living relationship with him (Allah bless him and give him peace). As Shaykh Yahya once told us, children need someone they love and can follow -- not just fear of punishment.
As a teenager when I knew little about anything, one of the greatest forces that kept me from doing anything I shouldn't was an image deep inside my heart, that if I did something wrong I would cause the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) to turn his noble face away from me out of shame. I don't know where that image came from as I didn't grow up in a particularly "religious" home in that sense, but it has always stayed with me and protected me.
Create a family tradition. With little children who are in school, we don't have all that much time during the week, but we've decided we will take 10-15 minutes each night to discuss one attribute of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as a family and talk about how we can bring it to life in our lives. I've seen some things being passed around online to assist in this. Others I know are doing a nightly mawlid as a family. Others are reading the sira. Depending on your time and family make-up, be creative! Nothing is too little.
We also do little things like dimming the lights, burning bakhoor or putting some light itr or rose water on the children to make them feel like it's a special time. We sing a song together. And we end by having the kids take a moment in silence to feel their hearts and know that Allah is with them and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is with them in their invisible hearts...and he loves them more than anyone in the world. Everyone kisses everyone and we head to bed.
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