One day in the life of your teenage child! It is not easy for a mother to raise children, when children are young they struggle to feed their children, change nappies, sleepless nights, now when kids grow up and mothers think they can now relax, the raging teenage life walks in. I understand that it is hard for mothers to cope with all this, but if you are smart enough and have a good bonding with the book of Allah, then parenting will become easy. Teenage is the most dangerous age of a child’s life; we all have been through this age, but little do we learn from it! A mother is the only person in the life of the child, who can be trusted, we need to understand that, in this part of life, children think they can be independent, they can change this world in a flick of a second, they often think that their decisions are the first and the last, I know how frustrating it could be, for a mother,..But you need to cater patience and love. If mothers have taken right steps, when their children were young, and laid a strong foundation, then it is easy to build upon, if, you have missed giving a strong foundation, then it is really hard for you to comment on the quality of the building, it might collapse soon. Children are the often silent spectators, they watch your every move, they see and learn and when teenage approaches, they start to show all they have captured in their curious brain. Sometimes you will see them do, exactly what you have been doing. Teenagers hate hypocrisy, when parents tell their children to do something and when the parents themselves don’t practice then, get ready for the hard questions from them! I am sure you won’t like it, but they will surely show you the mirror! Growing concerns for your teenager, is not the solution, what is important is what you have to do now, forcing them to wear the hijab at a teenage, will often result in children being rebellious, the mother needs to change herself and change the atmosphere of the house, often young mothers say “I am still young and I need to live my life too!” well off course, live your life, and then don’t force your children then! A mother needs to be a role model for her daughter, she is the one every daughter admires, from the way you walk, to the way you laugh and talk, Insure modesty so that your child learn from your behaviour, than from your continuous lectures. it is still not late, teach them the ethics of life, help them to recognise their creator and teach them to make sense from around the world they live in, Don’t tell them, they should not make mistakes, rather tell them, that man has been created weak, hence we all will make mistakes, but the wisest thing you can teach them is to have self realization that is to think about their mistakes and learn from them. Your support and love for them will help them break the illusionary walls of teen age. They will learn that no man is perfect and can always correct their mistakes. Teaching them to be aware of Allah is very important, because it is the faith that stops you from committing sin. Give them the example of a day in Ramadan, why do we fast? No one can know the sincerity of the fast except Allah the Almighty, tell them, that there are many instances in the day of the fast where you can quietly go and eat while no one is watching you, but you never do that, because you know that Allah watches you always, it is done only for the love of Allah. The same way, in every day of our lives, it is easy to commit a sin, when no one is watching you, but keeping in mind that Allah is watching you, is the only thought which will stop you from sinning. Never teach them superiority, no matter what your limit of wealth is, teach them to be simple and compassionate, just like our prophet PBUH. Encourage them to do deeds like charity, take them to an orphanage, or old age home often the way you behave with others is the way they will behave. Help them and teach them, to distinguish, the right from the wrong, tell them to be aware and make the right choice, when making friends, because, friends are the most influencing people in their life, discuss with them, the positives and the negatives, and, don’t always hold their hand to them walk, allow them to have a fall as well, in your supervision, so that they learn, to stand up and walk. I am sure this doesn’t look as an easy journey, but give your best and Allah will do the rest In’sha’Allah. I pray to Allah SWT to guides us all, in this beautiful and challenging journey of motherhood and to bless our children, to be righteous human beings. Ameen. By Sharmeen Syeeda