Obeying parents and respecting elders is as important for children as the tried and tested formula of ‘study, work and play.’ These are the golden rules of a healthy, happy and successful life as a child.

Parents, grandparents, teachers and elder siblings are the main grown-ups in children’s lives and children must learn to respect them and listen to them. These are the grown-ups who will tell you things that are of importance to your well-being.

The formulas of ‘study, work and play’ only works if studying is done with discipline that is for a certain specific time period such as an hour or two, with a fresh mind. After that you can play for a while to relax and refresh your mind and then go back to the tasks that you have been assigned. These may include tidying your room, feeding your pet, packing your school bag for the next day and perhaps helping your mum or dad while they are doing some household chore.

Different approaches should be made towards studying, such as research on the computer, or watching an educational video or using flash cards when it comes to learning words or facts.

The basics for a healthy and happy family and school life are that you get a good night’s sleep for at least eight hours, eat your vegetables along with your healthy and hygienic home-cooked meals, exercise and do activities daily. It is also important to maintain a routine of taking a bath or a shower once or twice daily to keep clean and fresh at all times and wear clean clothes.

If you don’t waste time on the mobile phone or unnecessary browsing on the net or watching too much TV, you will have time to revise your lessons at home daily and you will not panic at exam time.

In between, you should also incorporate in your routine some time for prayers and reading the Holy Quran, as this serves as nourishments for our soul and spiritual side. This routine will train you for a successful, happy and healthy life when you grow up.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 7th, 2019