Examine the roots - Strong Roots Make Healthy Plants by Z. Ayliff I busted my toe for the umpteenth time on one of many toys strewn out on the kids’ bedroom floor, and the trail leads throughout the house, even outside! Every time I look at the ever growing mountain of abandoned toys I quickly walk by or close the door. I can still remember every toy I owned growing up, all three of them! My husband didn’t have many either. He wants to know why we should deprive our children when we can afford it. I can’t argue with that, but what are we teaching them? Neither the kids nor their father has a clue that previously I had secretly thrown out many toys. I wouldn’t trash it; rather I would put it in a plastic bag next to the dirt bin on collection day for scavengers who look for items to use or sell. When you hear the term "scavenger", what springs to mind? Back in the days before recycling, I remember taking trips with my Dad to the local garbage tip and seeing so many cool things among the refuse. There would be people digging through these piles. To me it looked like great fun, but the general perceptions of scavengers are not very positive and most look down at these people. Unfortunately, scavenging has also received somewhat of a bad name due to the way some individuals go about it - pulling stuff out of boxes and creating quite a mess. To me they are environmental pioneers and heroes of sorts; regardless of their motivation for scavenging. There are many people who have made fortunes through scavenging, but it's just given another name. For example, recycling plants operations where we take our trash directly to the scavenger! With the month of Ramadan overflowing with advantages, I pondered upon how to go about teaching the kids to be more responsible and appreciative of their toys. Today I rounded up the kids and taught them that Allah SWT not only sees your face and wealth but he sees your hearts and your deeds. We took all the toys out to the garden where I had prepared a tub of warm water. They did a pretty good job at scrubbing of all the dirt and grime. Both agreed that we can donate them to Baitun Nur, a Centre for abused women and children. These children have little inspiration for the imaginative, fulfilled lives that all children deserve. By donating their toys, time and friendship, Yusuf and Yasmeen will get more out of this adventure than they put in! A person who has mercy on others his Rizq is increased. If parents do not care to mould their children’s brain in a way a Muslim should think, this will be their trial in this world and they will be held accountable. If kids are good, they become sadqa-e jariha (continuous charity) for parents, but if children do not find good in their parents and become the same, parents suffer for this even in the hereafter and this becomes a continuous azab (punishment or torture) for them. Therefore, to have children means to get ready for the challenge. There are rights of children that parents should know and they should fulfil them in order to save their children, their race and themselves from the hell fire. If only parents are good Muslims, they can make their children good Muslims as well. If after all the tries of parents, children do not become good, then there will be no sin on parents. To give their children proper education and to make them understand Quran and Sunnah is a must for the parents so that their children could know which religion they belong to. If the roots of a plant are weak, the plant dies in no time. Similarly, if children are not told what Islam is, they lose their way and never come to the right track except from ALLAH’s mercy.