SOC301 RAISING CHILDREN IN AMERICA 

Course Description:

This course goes over raising children in America. Students focus on the challenges that practicing Muslims are facing when raising their children according to the Islamic principles. Challenges could be peer pressure, differences between cultural and religious practices, legal restriction in using physical discipline, level of comprehension of societal and cultural impact on Muslim children and youth, public school system in particular. The course also analyzes the three different models parents choose for themselves and for children- as far as interacting with the society at large is concerned-; assimilation, integration, and isolation. Different techniques and remedies in disciplining children will be discussed as well.

Course Code: SOC301

Credit hours: 3

Pre-Requisites: None

Learning Objectives:

• Introduce the proper Islamic understanding of the approach and objectives of TARBIYAH (self-development)
• Present Islamic basis for this approach.
• Provide parents and guardians with proper Islamic methods and understanding to ensure the success of the TARBIYAH process in the western environment
• Elevate parents’ level of awareness of serious effects of the environment on the child’s personality.

Course Outline:

1. Principles of Tarbiyah (Nurturing)

• Proper understanding of child psychology
• Role of the family in the life of a child
• How to deal with the children at home and outside of the home
• Growing up is a process
• Clear communication and expression of feelings
• Correcting behavior and assisting in skill development
• Emotional Intelligence, i.e. understanding your feelings and your child’s feelings

2. Environment

• Description of the Environment
• Its importance in the life of individuals
• Environment causes external pressures on the child and the family
• Parents’ role in insuring a proper environment
• Create a support system
• Other support systems and mechanisms

3. Methods of Tarbiyah

• Children do what they see others do Not what ….
• Nurturing the child through exhortation, admonition, and kind advice
• Nurturing the child by examples of leadership
• Nurturing the child through disciplinary measures
• Nurturing the child by building positive habits (habituation)
• Nurturing the child by using time properly
• Nurturing the child in times of special events

4. Case Studies

• Analysis of different situations, events, and occurrences in the life of a child
• Parents reaction vs. child’s reaction