Eid Mubarak... Happy Eid Al-Fitr. Even though it's a little late, my writing this time is still about Ramadan and Eid.
It's really nice to welcome the presence of Eid yesterday. Big families gather, ties of kinship are tightened again, and traditions are celebrated again. We may already be able to understand the value of the meaning of Eid; After curbing self-will for a whole month through fasting, we are happy to welcome Eid al-Fitr as a form of personal victory. But what about our children? Maybe there are your children who have tried fasting? Through fasting and celebrating Eid, children have the opportunity to learn many things. What are those? Come on, see here!
Be patient and try
When fasting, children are invited to endure hunger and thirst until it is time to break the fast. Fasting in Ramadan is an experience for children to learn to be patient and keep trying to fast. We can create a fun fasting and Eid al-Fitr experience for children, one of which is by giving rewards if the child is able to fast. Over time, rewards from parents no longer need to be in the form of gifts; With an understanding of the rewards and pleasures gained from patience and effort, children can make fasting an achievement that makes themselves proud.
Keep in touch
Eid is synonymous with gathering and gathering with extended family. It's essentially family time, in a big scale. When I was a child, I admit that I often felt awkward because I had to be 'interrogated' by my uncle or aunt about "What grade are you in?" "Your report card is good, isn't it?" and its kind. However, now I understand that family gatherings like this are beneficial for building emotional closeness with extended families. For children, through friendships like this, he could know where he came from. We ourselves need to facilitate children so that they not only know the faces of their siblings, but also know who they are. Therefore, we should not let our children play with gadgets during large family gatherings. Example that friendship is an important value by practicing it consistently.
Children can also practice their social skills because they meet many people. We might be able to create new 'rituals' during Eid, such as holding a skill competition 'contest', the tradition of speaking in front of a large family as told by Puan, assigning children to make a short biography of one of the siblings, or other things that can hone communication skills and children's confidence. .
Thank you and share
As mentioned earlier, fasting becomes a concrete thing for children because they feel thirsty and hungry while doing it. Children can understand that holding back hunger is an unpleasant thing but must be felt by people who do not have money to eat. When breaking the fast, we explain how lucky we are to be able to break the fast with delicious food. So we should always remember to share with those who are not as lucky as us.
Likewise, when celebrating Eid, remind children to be grateful to God for carrying out the obligation of fasting. We can show that not everyone can celebrate Eid by eating out, gathering with family, or going for a walk. When you pay zakat and give charity, show that it is a form of gratitude and share with those who are less fortunate so that they can celebrate Eid like us.
Control yourself not only when fasting
This is the abstract meaning of fasting, namely maintaining behavior. Through small talk, invite the child to evaluate his 'achievements' during the month of Ramadan, for example how many days he can fast a full day, how often he prays tarawih, and so on. From here, we can give an understanding of the true meaning of fasting. Tell him how much he will lose if he fasts and prays but does not maintain his behavior or does not do good. However, self-control does not only need to be done while fasting, but must become a lifestyle.
When Lebaran arrives, let alone the children, we may forget ourselves to see the abundance of food, or when we spend the money we get. This is where parents need to set an example for their children, that there is no need to overdo it in celebrating Eid. Especially if the child gets angpau from a large family. Remind children about the function of money which is not only to be spent, but also to be saved and donated. Or if your child buys new clothes and toys, he needs to donate some of the clothes and toys he already has.
Thus, Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr can be moments that have deep meaning for our children so that they are not just rituals of holding back hunger and thirst, as well as gathering and eating together.
May you have a meaningful Eid,!