As a Muslim mother, you want to impart the teachings and principles of Islam to your children as successfully as you can. This can get a lot harder when they grow up and have to resist peer pressure, such as the pressure to drink alcohol. You're right to be concerned, but you can still use these methods to help your children stay away from alcohol.
The Power of Parental Influence
While teenagers try to act like they don't care what their parents think, they actually do. Knowing that you don't like something they're doing or considering doing could cause them to change their mind about doing it. Your influence should be more than just telling them about what you don't want them to do since that could cause them to instinctually rebel. Be a regular part of their lives and talk to them regularly about things that are on your mind. When the time comes to talk about alcohol, you can help them to see your points much better.
Help Them Understand Why
Besides the theological reasons of Islam, it’s important to teach children to avoid alcohol because of the harm that comes from consuming it. Since children are impressionable, you need to get through to them before negative forces can. Helping children understand the negative impacts of consuming alcohol can influence their decision to not partake. They might have some curiosity and offer follow-up questions, so make sure you do your research. Don't give them a bunch of exaggerated information designed to scare them. The real facts regarding alcohol are scary enough.
Boost Their Self-Esteem
Without a strong sense of self-worth, your child can feel tempted to drink because they believe it's required for them to fit in. In high school and college, your child might notice how many of their peers talk about drinking and feel like they have to participate in order to be cool. However, there's no way for someone to feel cool if they just go along with the crowd at all occasions. Inspire your children by showing them some of the biggest Muslim role models, people like athletes and politicians, who don't need alcohol to be impressive and who show the Muslim community what a true hero looks like.
Parents can feel like they can only help up to a certain point, but your involvement in your child's life matters. They may still get tempted to drink, but they'll also have you on their mind as a good example, which could cause them to think twice. You can make a difference in your children's lives, even when they think they're old enough to know better.
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