Don't baby them!

One common mistake is treating boys nearing puberty, and sometimes even adults, like children by female relatives and teachers, of course with the strict condition that female teachers for young boys should not exist in the first place, which is another topic.

You see him at thirteen or fourteen, perhaps even older, and the teacher or his mother's friend says to him: "My dear" out of politeness!

We don't need to "baby" the youth, dear people! Everything in society diminishes their minds and shrinks their sense of responsibility, from upbringing, to the "education" system that makes them dependent and unable to earn until they get their bachelor's degree, to trivial media...

Call them: "My son," "Auntie," "Young man..." but don't "baby them." Either he will feel constrained and embarrassed by this treatment, or his sense of responsibility and manhood will shrink beyond what is already diminished!

We want to instill in our sons a sense of responsibility and manhood. Those you call "my dears" are in the generation of Muadh and Muadh, the sons of Afraa who killed Pharaoh of this nation Abu Jahl, and in the age of Usama bin Zayd when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave him the banner to lead the army, and in the age of Al-Arqam bin Abi Al-Arqam when he hosted the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims in his home during the secret phase of the call, and in the age of Ali bin Abi Talib and Al-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam when they embraced Islam and became the protectors of Islam, and others from the noble companions may Allah be pleased with them.

We want men, so don't baby them!