21 Tips For Parents on Keeping Muslim Teens Grounded
The 21 tips for parents on keeping Muslim teens safe are very relevant to all communities. With tragic events taking place around the globe, we have to be aware that there is a higher probability of our children becoming victims of such horrendous crimes. The statistics speak for themselves as one out of every six victims is a Muslim teen. It is a sad reality that most of these victims are from very poor and struggling countries in the East and Africa. Many young Muslim girls and boys end up being ‘vilified, discredited, and abused’ simply for carrying out their right to worship as set out by the Qur’an and the Traditions of Islam.
How might guardians assist with safeguarding their youngsters? The answer is very clear. They must seek to educate their children at an early age to follow both the Islamic and Christian faiths so that they can grow up accordingly to follow their respective religions when they get older.
Muslim teens are very sensitive about their religion and that sensitivity needs to be taken into account. They should also be taught not to share their religion with non-Muslims. Some Muslims believe that if their parents marry someone from an ‘unbelieving’ country, their teenage daughter or son could become a Muslim. This could result in them being branded as a disbeliever and therefore losing all rights to enjoy certain privileges enjoyed by other Muslims.
To prevent this, parents should talk to their children about how to treat others who aren’t Muslim. Preaching and practicing kindness will always be more beneficial than bullying or acting violently. It is no way to teach our children right from wrong. This is especially important as we have been taught that those who practice evil will find themselves in hell.
Another tip is to look to find out whether there are any independent mosques close to where they live. The imams at these mosques will be much more aware of local customs and ways of life. They can certainly provide parents with valuable input on how best to raise their children. There may even be imams who can offer advice on how to start a family.
Another tip is to ensure that the dress of the teenager is modest. Many Muslim boys and girls wear full dresses when they are attending funerals. But this is not always the case and they do cover their faces in the front. To keep this modest, teenagers should wear loose-fitting long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Covering the head with a scarf will make them appear more conservative. If possible, parents should insist that their children attend prayers at the mosque in uniform.
Maintain regular communication with their children, but make sure that they don’t get too intrusive. Parents should try to keep religion and other issues separate, at least until the child has reached puberty. This can sometimes help to smooth over any problems, as teenagers will usually be more receptive if religion is not a problem.
21 Tips for parents on Keeping Muslim teens grounded is a good guide, as it provides practical advice. And although there are no magic words or solutions, there are easy things any parent can do to improve the situation. By making sure that a teenager is not living in a bubble, or isolated from the outside world, he or she will feel less isolated and more likely to feel that they have a voice and are welcome in society.
