Preparing young children for Ramadan entails a variety of daily practises. It’s not only about enthralling them with activities so that they can learn more about this holy month, but it’s also about enticing them to fast and pray.
From waking up for sahur (suhoor) to breaking the fast until the Tarawih prayer, you must be doing everything possible to keep your children motivated and engaged. Especially for Tarawih, which comes after Isyak and your children may be exhausted from fasting all day.
If it’s not yet time for your kids to go to bed, having them pray Tarawih with you will help them understand the significance of the prayer. Although it may require a little prodding due to the timing, these are some of the things you can do to get your kids excited about Tarawih.
Create a Tarawih Chart
Just as creating a chart to track when your kids are fasting, you can also make a chart to track their Tarawih prayers. Allow your children the option to choose their favourite stickers and place them on the chart on the day they perform the prayers. They’ll be overjoyed to pray Tarawih so that they can fill out the chart. What a wonderful way to encourage your children to end their day of fasting with the most special Ramadan prayer.
Gently Invite Them to Pray Together
Kids are not required to pray until they reach puberty, but starting at a young age (7 years old according to the hadith by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) would be a good way to train them. When asking your kids to pray, remember not to force them or become angry. Instead, gently invite your children to the praying area and perform Tarawih with them. They will be more reliant and compliant if you are not too hard on them.
Discuss the Benefits of Tarawih
This is one way to get your children to appreciate Tarawih, a special prayer only during Ramadan. There are numerous physical and spiritual benefits that you could share with your young kids to get them excited and motivated to pray Tarawih. Talk about how Ramadan would be incomplete without the congregational sunnah prayers, how they strengthen our faith and bring us closer to Allah S.W.T., and how they provide us with an opportunity to stay healthy and fit.
Decorate Praying Space
If you have a prayer room or can dedicate a space for prayer during Ramadan, it would be wonderful if you could make it special for the holy month. By using Ramadan decorations and giving the impression that you’re in a mosque, you can make the area more inviting and pleasant. Your kids will appreciate the space more if they help you decorate it.
Encourage Kids to Recite Dua Together
Following prayer, we would recite dua to seek forgiveness and the wellbeing of the family. At that time, make sure to let your children hear what you’re reciting and explain to them that making dua is the time to connect with Allah S.W.T. and ask for what you want from Him. Your kids must have something in mind, something they want to ask for, so have them recite a dua after the Tarawih prayer as well. As a result, they’ll become more involved in the prayer.
Express Your Joy and Appreciation
Be excited and joyful when your children want to pray Tarawih with you. Tell them how much you appreciate them joining you and how well they’re doing by completing their Tarawih prayer. Don’t forget to give them a big hug! This way, you’re not only boosting your child’s self-esteem, but they’ll also feel good about praying.
Implement a Tarawih Reward System
You can either include this in the Tarawih chart and have them receive the reward after a certain number of stickers, or you can create a reward basket containing a variety of goodies. When your children have completed their fast and Tarawih, they will be able to choose one treat from the reward basket. While you’re teaching your children about good deeds and pahala, a reward like this will help motivate them to keep going.
Make Good Use of the Time Between Prayers
Instead of continuing and making your children feel restless and bored in-between Tarawih prayers, try taking a short break. Spend some family bonding time during the break by reading the Quran together, reading a book to your children, discussing their days, feelings during Ramadan, and so on. Make sure to take just enough of a break to get your kids in the mood before continuing to pray.
Conclusion
There are numerous other creative methods that you can use to increase your little ones’ enthusiasm for performing Tarawih prayer. It will take time, effort, and patience at first. But once your kids are accustomed to praying, you will be eternally grateful. InsyaAllah, there will be times when your children will be excited to perform Tarawih without you having to tell them.
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