Discipline from a Young Age: A Key to Raising Well-Rounded Children
Discipline starts from young
“The best discipline is that which is done at a young age. If a child is left to his own characteristics and he or she matures into an adult possessing those characteristics, changing the person would be difficūlt.
A poet said:
ﺇﻥَّ اﻟﻐُﺼُﻮﻥ ﺇﺫا ﻗَﻮَّﻣﺘﻬﺎ اﻋﺘَﺪﻟَﺖ
ﻭﻻ ﻳَﻠِﻴﻦ ﻗَﻮﻣﺘَﻪ اﻟﺨﺸﺐُ
If you straighten the branches they will straighten up
But wood does not soften if you amend it.
ﻗﺪ ﻳَﻨﻔﻊُ اﻷﺩَﺏُ اﻟﺼَّﻐﻴﺮ ﻓﻲ ﻣُﻬﻞٍ
ﻭﻟﻴﺲَ ﻳَﻨﻔﻊُ ﻓﻲ ﺫﻯ اﻟﺸَّﻴﺒﺔ اﻷﺩَﺏُ
Discipline benefits Childrēn gradually
But it will not benefit those who have aged.
Being perseverant in discipline is important, particularly with regard to children, as it benefits them and doing good becomes a habit.
A poet said:
ﻻ ﺗَﺴﻪَ ﻋﻦ ﺃﺩﺏ الصغيـ رِ ﻭﺇﻥ ﺷَﻜﻰ ﺃﻟَﻢَ اﻟﺘََّﻌﺐ
Do not neglect disciplining a Child
Even if he complains of the pain of exhaustion.
Know that a doctor considers the age of the patient, as well as his place and time before prescribing the medicine best suited for him.
Likewise, discipline should be suited to each child, and signs of the success or failure of a child can be noticed from a very early age.”
Excerpt from 'Disciplining the Soul' by Imam Ibn Jawzi (d. 597H)