Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 182
! ! 182 Important Guidelines for Parents Regarding their Children’s Moral Training Delivere d by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad , Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra In 1925 , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II , Mirza Bashir - ud - Din Mahmud Ahmad ra delivered a sermon regarding the moral training of children , in which he rendered very important and valuable advice. As c hildhood training is largely the mother’s respo nsibility, this guidance is presented below for Ahmadi women. After the recitation of Tashahhud , Ta‘awwuz , and Surah Al - Fatihah , Haz rat Khalifa t - ul - Masih II ra stated : Intentions on their own are in sufficient when attempting to reform your deeds and morals. You must strive and work hard towards it. Without hard work and effort, mere intention s can be of no benefit. Just as it is essential that h ard work and intention s go hand in hand without hard work , intention s are useless. I t is also a fact that hard work and effort are linked to specific environments and situations. T he most suitable juncture to reform behavior and morals is childhood. The ease with which a child can learn a skill during childhood and the ease with which he can bear the required hardship and struggle canno t be accomplished when a person is older. A child ’s perception is such that he feels minimal effects of hard work and struggle. At th at age , a child is like an empty bowl, which can be filled with anything. H e is eager to learn ever ything ; therefore, he can easily learn new skill s by exercising that skill. I can still rec all the p eriod of my childhood; the surroundings and conditions are fresh in my mind. I would go out in the extreme and scorching heat, and I did not feel its intensity. In fact, I clearly remember feeling dreadfully wronged when my respected mother, or other guardians, stopped me from playing outside in the extreme heat. I would go out in that heat and feel nothing. I am certain that