The summer vacation for students in various educational stages is akin to a "goldmine" of goodness, if properly utilized and well-directed. This ensures the advancement of our children in religious, moral, scientific, and cultural aspects.
It is also a camp for education, faith, entertainment, and sports, which can be a healthy environment for teenagers. It instills in them the values of identity and belonging, driving them to develop their talents, abilities, and potentials, to become the hope of tomorrow and the leaders of the future.
Some people do not realize the importance of this goldmine and may overlook its treasures and benefits, leaving their children prey to idleness, captives of mobile phones, social media, pornography websites, cinemas, and sinful leisure spots both locally and abroad, under the pretext of entertainment and killing time.
However, those with foresight understand the value of time, the meaning of beneficial leisure, and how to use the vacation to uncover the potentials of the new generations, discover their talents, and nurture goodness and virtue in them through various activities, advanced programs, and beneficial environments. This is the best investment in children.
During the summer, you can give your child a real role in the "factory of men" by experiencing work and earning honest money in a profession of the fathers and grandfathers, or a craft they wish to master, such as trades, maintenance, computing, programming, carpentry, plumbing, blacksmithing, tailoring, and other skills that suit their abilities, environment, family needs, and the surrounding community.
Among the treasures of summer are charitable works and volunteer activities in elderly homes, orphanages, charity organizations, food banks, time banks, and more. These are precious opportunities where participants gain a growing sense of positivity, cooperation, empathy, and social responsibility towards others. This serves as a practical lesson in solidarity and helping the needy, away from the language of preaching and guidance, which may not be favored by teenagers.
The World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5th, represents another opportunity to invest in our children. It involves creating barriers to protect the Earth from pollution, desertification, global warming, and water wastage by enabling them to participate in cleaning parks and beaches, planting trees, recycling waste, and supporting green environmental initiatives worldwide.
It is also wise for parents to instill in their children a sense of culture and awareness by visiting public libraries, immersing themselves in books of knowledge, and cultivating a love for reading, writing, drawing, calligraphy, poetry, storytelling, and other arts and sciences that elevate the soul and enhance the mind.
Sports will undoubtedly have a significant role during the summer vacation. Parents should guide their children to engage in swimming, archery, horseback riding, intellectual games, and physical fitness, with a focus on specializing in a particular sport, participating in summer camps, scouting activities, and turning sports into a cultural and societal reality, beyond merely watching football matches and other games.
Summer courses can also be used to develop children’s skills in a specific field or a second foreign language, motivating them to continue learning and exploring. It is advisable during this period to benefit from innovation and invention programs, programming and artificial intelligence courses, and participate in various competitions organized by schools, sports clubs, youth and education ministries, and others.
Psychology and sociology experts recommend increasing family activities during the summer vacation, spending enjoyable time with children whether through travel and trips, outdoor activities, cooking together, making ice cream, feeding birds, or organizing family games. Engaging in sports, cultural, and recreational activities with family members can rescue children from the grip of technology and keep them away from the screen-based and electronic gaming lifestyle and the virtual world.
In this context, it is preferable to engage in activities that strengthen family ties, such as visiting relatives, exploring the ancestral hometown of the parents and grandparents, conversing with older family members, and playing with younger ones. These activities help develop social skills, boost a child’s self-confidence, and enhance their connections with others, teaching them the etiquette of conversation, laughter, and joking through the experiences and stories of the elders.
It is wonderful to take your child to visit relatives and show them firsthand how to respect the elderly and be kind to the young, demonstrating generosity through actions rather than just words. It is also great to teach them to give gifts to those they love, offer charity to those in need, and bring joy to those around them, participating in their joys and sorrows.
Additionally, don’t forget to teach your children the Quran, including recitation and proper pronunciation, throughout the summer and the rest of the year. Encourage them to study the sciences of Hadith, the life of the Prophet (Sira), Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), and exegesis (Tafsir), among other religious and worldly sciences. It is beautiful to journey with them through the garden of virtue and the school of good deeds.
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