Parent-Child Relations: A Guide to Raising Children (Revised Edition)

Hisham Altalib · AbdulHamid Ahmad AbuSulayman · Omar Hisham Altalib

Mar 2024 · International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)

About this ebook

Modern families face challenges unprecedented in human history. The time, attention and vigilance required of parents is exhausting and consuming family life. Parents are required to balance complex schedules, be technology aware, social media informed, constantly monitor children’s screen time and media communication, cope with academic problems, shield them from the dangers of immorality, find inventive ways to overcome their boredom, organize extracurricular activities, and handle everything within financially constrained circumstances that increasingly require both to be working. Little wonder that anxiety is on the rise and parents are increasingly fearing for their children’s future.

 

The authors in this book attempt to address parents’ concerns and equip them with the confidence and tools necessary to work towards understanding and addressing the real needs of both themselves and their children, to nurture the child’s character, self-confidence, life skills, moral boundaries, spiritual development and much more. There is no quick-fix. Myths are debunked, and practical tips offered throughout which can be implemented immediately, with fun activities outlined at the end of each chapter with the aim of improving parent-child relationships through bonding, love, patience, openness, respect and communication.

About the author

Dr. Hisham Yahya Altalib was born in Mosul, Nineva, Iraq, in 1940. He holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Liverpool University (1962) and a Masters degree and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., 1972 and 1974, respectively. While he was studying to become an electrical engineer, Dr. Altalib became active in Islamic work first in the UK and then in North America, which continues to this day. He has held several positions in various Islamic organizations, including founder and director of the Leadership Training Department of the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada (MSA); Secretary-General of the International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations (IIFSO), and founding member of SAAR Foundation and member of its Board of Directors. He is also founding member and current President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). He is the author of Training Guide for Islamic Workers, which has been translated into over 20 languages; Inviting to Islam: Ethics of Engagement, which has been translated into 6 languages, and Creating a Happy Home: Raising Children in Postnormal Times (co-author, forthcoming). He has conducted many training camps and seminars in the United States and abroad. He is a father and a grandfather.

Dr. AbdulHamid Ahmad AbuSulayman (1936 – 2021) was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 1936, where he completed his high school education. He obtained a B.A. in Commerce from the University of Cairo (1959), an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Cairo (1963), and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania (1973). He passed away on August 18, 2021. During his lifetime he held various positions, including Secretary for the State Planning Committee, Saudi Arabia; founding member and president of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) in the United States and Canada; Secretary-General, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (WAMY); Chairperson, Department of Political Science at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Rector, International Islamic University (IIU), Malaysia. In addition, he was a founding member and former president of International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). He also authored many articles and books on reforming Muslim societies, such as The Islamic Theory of International Relations: New Directions for Islamic Methodology and Thought; Crisis in the Muslim Mind; Marital Discord: Recapturing the Full Islamic Spirit of Human Dignity; Revitalizing Higher Education in the Muslim World; The Qur’anic Worldview: A Springboard for Cultural Reform, and Creating a Happy Home: Raising Children in Postnormal Times (co-author, forthcoming). Dr. AbuSulayman was instrumental in organizing many international academic conferences and seminars. He is survived by his wife, five children, and many grandchildren.

Dr. Omar Hisham Altalib was born in Kirkuk, Iraq, in 1967 and moved to the U.S. with his parents in 1968. He graduated from George Mason University in 1989 with a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Sociology. He holds an M.A. (1993) and a Ph.D. (2004) in Sociology from the University of Chicago. He was granted a Graduate Student Fellowship from the National Science Foundation and became an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at Daley College, Chicago, and at Indiana University Northwest, Gary, Indiana. He was an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Ashland University, Ohio, and has served as Senior Knowledge Engineer at Science Applications International Corporation at McLean, Virginia. He was Assistant Professor of Sociology at the International Islamic University, Malaysia. Dr. Altalib has authored several articles on family, homeschool education, endowments, charitable organizations, and social work. He is also a co-author of Creating a Happy Home: Raising Children in Postnormal Times (forthcoming). He frequently attends academic conferences and has given lectures, seminars, and consultations in 40 countries worldwide.