HOMESCHOOLING
A Hub of Intellectual Activities
THERE is a story of a family from Hyderabad. It was a religious family in the traditional sense. However, it was not religion that was the topic of discussion in their home. All of their discussions centred around complaints, as is the case in most homes. It was then that the head of the family was advised by a senior religious cleric to immediately get rid of the complaining mindset, and make his home a homeschool. Homeschooling is the practice of educating children at home. He was advised to learn English along with his wife and children, and read books on positive thinking with them.
They assiduously followed what they were told to do. A few days later, he described his situation over the phone. He said everyone’s life in his house had become meaningful. Everyone in the family, parents as well as children, was beginning to understand their role. This was not the case before. An experience in this regard was that he wanted to read an Urdu book in English, and so he asked his children to translate it. The subject of the book was the creation plan of God.
The children translated the book with total devotion and earnestness. This is how the father got the English translation, and the kids learned God’s creation plan. His wife said that she had not come across any home where children understood their role. She also said that parents always complain that their children do not listen to them. But with this new beginning, there is a new trend that helped children to understand their positive role.
The atmosphere of home should be free of negative talk. Instead, topics related to positive thinking and Godrealization should be discussed. Children should be taught about the role they play in a household.
Now the atmosphere of negative talk and complaining in their house has
become a thing of the past. Instead, topics related to positive thinking
and God-realization are being discussed. Thus, the atmosphere of the
home has changed completely. The children have adjusted to the new
environment. In this way their knowledge has increased, and they have
developed constructive and positive thinking. This example exemplifies
an extension of this verse of the Quran:
“Set aside for your people some houses in the city and turn them into
places of worship, and be constant in prayer!” (10: 87)