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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books From Marriage to Parenthood The Heavenly Path Chapter 11: Raising Children 40 Akhlāq Points on Interacting with your Child Mostly derived from Rayhāneye Beheshtī, pg. 221-241 Give gifts to your daughter(s) first. Play with your children.[^1] This has an important effect in the training and nurturing of your child. Our leaders in Islam have stressed the importance of this issue, and recommended it highly to Muslims.

It is narrated from the Prophet (S): “The person who has a child, should behave like a child with him.”[^2] It is also narrated from Imām °Alī (as): “Anybody who has a child, should, for his/her training, bring themselves down to their level of childhood.”[^3] Do not hit your child when they cry, because it is narrated from the Prophet (S): “Do not hit your babies since their crying has a meaning.

The first 4 months of crying is professing the unity of Allāh (SwT), the second 4 months of crying is sending blessings upon the Prophet (S) and his family and the third 4 months of crying is the baby praying for the parents.”[^4] Kiss your child.

It has been narrated from one of the Imāms that: “Kiss your children a great deal because for every kiss, you will be granted a Divine heavenly rank which would otherwise take 500 years to achieve!”[^5] It is also narrated that a man once came to the Prophet (S) and said: “I have never kissed my child.” The Prophet (S) said: “Surely a man like this will be a resident of the fire of hell.” By saying Salām to your child, build their sense of personality and character.

If youngsters say Salām, it is obligatory for elders to reply; however, it was a characteristic of the Prophet (S) to say Salām first, whether to elders or youngsters.[^6] Do not ridicule the actions of your child, nor call them silly. Do not order or forbid your child too much, as this emboldens them and leads to rebellious behaviour when older. Build your children’s chracters by respecting them.

We read in traditions that the Prophet (S)  prolonged his sajdah until his grandson came down from his shoulders, and at other times he recited Ŝalāt al-Jamā°at faster as he heard children of praying mothers crying. Likewise, Imām °Alī  used to ask his children questions about religious matters in the presence of others, and even passed on people’s questions to them to answer.