Disciplining Children

Disciplining Children When Young – تربية الأولاد

If you leave disciplining too late, it will be as some scholars said:

الضرب على حديد بارد
“BEATING COLD IRON.”

It’s useless …

The iron will refuse to bend to your will.

When the iron is hot, you will be able to easily shape the iron however you want – without using any force.

Another example the scholars gave is:

You can bend a young TREE BRANCH in any direction,
but a TREE TRUNK will not bend to your will.

If you use force – you will break it.

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi quoted a poet who gave this example:

إن الغصون إذا قومتها اعتدلت
ولا يلين إذا قومته الخشب
قد ينفع الأدب الأحداث في مهل
وليس ينفع في ذي الشيبة الأدب
“If you straighten a twig [branch], it will straighten up;
But wood [tree trunk] does not soften if you bend it!
Discipline benefits children gradually in their youth;
But it will not benefit those who have aged.”

[“Tibb al-Ruhani”, 99].