Happy Healthy Family

You can choose your friends but you cannot choose your family they are Allah’s gift to you, as you are to them, choose correct ways to indulge with them. Imam Al-Ghazali views' on children’s education, ‘’children have the right to education’’, a saying attributed to Prophet Muhammad SAW ''A father gives his child nothing better than a good education''. Tirmidhi (#4977) it does not mean secular education only but also religious education. Which we lack to give our children on an integrated and consolidated level. We are too busy in our lives nowadays; we do not get to spend quality time with family. I believe Parents are responsible for the overall management of family life, including setting the importance of a structured Islamic environment in the house. There are several ways to spend time with your family, which can be physically and emotionally healthy as well as carry Islamic morals.
Remember being with the family and giving time to them is different than giving them quality time. It is only quality time that matter. A time spend with your family has to be worth spending than a time doing anything else. Your personal investment is more important to your children than any kind of toys, games, gadgets, or other stuff. Numerous studies have shown that children who are involved with their families are least drawn in to drug, and violence than children who live divided split lives. There are many ways to get together with your kids in a constructive Islamic way. Here are a few to share.

Cook In Together, Eat In Together
Pull out some magazines, or recipes on the internet, cook with your children, for a change. Find out something simple and easy they can make with little help. I love to make pizza with my children. However, they love cooking pasta with their father. 
Before they begin eating tell them to wash their hands and begin their meal with Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah PBUH said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you.''Al-Bukhari and Muslim.  When the children are done eating make it their habit of saying this dua ‘ALHUMDULILLAHIL LAZI AT AAMANA WASAKANA WA JA ALNA MINAL MUSLIMEEN’: Praise be to Allah, who fed us and gave us drinks and made us Muslims.

Family Time
Spend time with your family. Spending time does not mean you have to do something in particular. It means you give attention and interest to their chores and activities and you want to discuss it with them.
When I was young my father adopted the practice of setting aside one night each week for family. We had all sorts of discussions. We were encouraged to ask religious questions to discuss school problems. Ask questions about Allah and His existence to queries of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW life. Give your children family time. Make sure there are no interruptions, no phone calls, no TV, no computer. Make it just plain family time together. Open communication gap between you and your children, so they do not oscillate in life's big challenges. By giving time you will be giving your most valuable thing to them, and Insha’Allah Allah will make your affairs easier on you.

Limit Television
Do not let your children sit and watch whatever they want , limit the TV shows, everything that is on TV is not important to be watched . Just pick the favourite few. Try putting up some kind of nasheed or Islamic videos now and then on the television or internet. Go for a walk or biking with your kids instead. When gone for walks show them and discuss with them the nature which Allah swt has created around us.  Adopt the habits which will connect you with your children, create positive memories and experiences that do not involve television. Also set up Azan on your computer or on the clock so they get the understanding, that it is time for Azan and not anything else.
                                                
Family Jammah Prayer
In the hustle and bustle of today’s world we do not take our children to the Masjid every day. We should at least give them the environment of a family jammah prayer at home.
You can invite them to pray along side or join the family jaamah prayer. At an early age children imitate what they see, so it is important to call them when you are praying or at least pray in front of them, so they can join. Remind them we are praying to Allah to thank Him for the blessing He has given us, Allhamdulillah. Try to perform at least one salat at home together in a jammah. At a younger age consistency is more important than performing all the Salat together in jaamah. This way they will discover a special connection with Allah swt  as well as with you and they will feel more associated with Islam. 1064. Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah swt said that, ‘’Salat in congregation is twenty seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually’’ Al-Bukhari and Muslim        
                            
Community Involvement
Give sometime to your community, specially the Masjid. Take your children with you to Masjid for some volunteer opportunity. Let it be a small task, may be just fixing Salah carpets in Masjid, or organizing book shelf. This way your children will acquire a deep conviction of the practices as well as accumulate beautiful memories.

Love your family
Be expressive and patient to your family. Be kind to your family because this is what our Deen has taught us. Narrated Anas ibn Malik: “I have never seen anyone more kind to one's family than (the Prophet Muhammad)." - Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1077. Tell your family you love them by your thought, your speech and your body. And thank Allah swt for the precious gift He has given to you in this world. Hadith Bukhari (#91 and Muslim Abu Selma related that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Prophet of Allah kissed Hasan ibn 'Ali while Aqra' ibn Habis was sitting nearby. Aqra' said, 'I have ten children and have never kissed one of them.' The Prophet looked at him and said, 'Those who show no mercy will be shown no mercy.'" 
Most good and bad qualities in a child are the result of environment, thus parents have to provide a secure environment and model healthy choices and behaviors as well as discipline that reflects Islamic life style.