In many cultures around the world, there is a persistent bias toward boys and against girls. Sons are celebrated as blessings while daughters are seen as burdens or obligations. This bias has caused immense suffering, from selective abortion to neglect to a failure to educate girls. Yet when we turn to the Quran, we find […]

The Most Common Mistake Parents Make  One of the most universal parenting mistakes is comparing children to each other. “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” “She never gets angry like you do.” “He’s so much better at this than you are.” These comparisons feel innocent to parents, often used as motivation or as a […]

The Problem With Generic Love  Many parents believe that if they love all their children equally, their children will feel that love. However, love isn’t just something you feel internally; it’s something that has to be communicated and demonstrated. A child can’t read your heart. They can only observe your actions, hear your words and feel the attention you give them.  When parents try to love “equally,” they often end […]

Not All Misbehavior Is Equal  Not every mistake your child makes requires a serious intervention. Spilling juice, forgetting to put away toys, interrupting you while you’re talking,these are normal childhood behaviors that you address in the moment and move on from. However, there are other behaviors that are bigger, more significant, more damaging if they become patterns. These are the behaviors worth having serious conversations about […]

The Teenage Years: A Window for Character Formation  The teenage years are often called the turbulent years and parents frequently dread them. However, Quranically and psychologically, the teenage years are actually a critical window of opportunity. Ages thirteen, fourteen and fifteen are years when certain qualities can become part of your child’s permanent personality. If these qualities take root during the […]

The Real Question Isn’t About the Device  Every parent faces this eventually: “Can I have an iPhone?” or a smartphone or social media access or a video game. The knee-jerk parental response is often to focus on the object itself. “You’re too young,” “It’s bad for your brain,” “You don’t need it.” We try to set rules around the device. […]

Have you ever made an angry face at your toddler, just to see what would happen? Maybe their lip trembled, their eyes welled up and you quickly said, “I was kidding, I was kidding!” That moment, as small as it seems, reveals something important: children are extraordinarily sensitive to how we look at them, how we speak […]

Every parent knows the feeling: your child is mid-tantrum, mid-lie or mid-fight with a sibling and you are not sure whether to intervene, ignore it or call for backup. Small behavioral issues have a way of becoming permanent character traits if they are left unaddressed and the window for shaping how your child handles anger, honesty and […]