Children

Children

The Bahá'í community is strongly child-centred, and the community as well as the parents of a particular child get involved in bringing up children.

Giving birth to and bringing up children is the most important task that Bahá'í parents undertake.

Bahá'ís regard a child as a person entrusted to their love and care, rather than as a possession.

Bahá'ís believe in planning parenthood by making sure that a couple is ready to be parents.

Before they have a child would-be parents are expected to have built a strong and equal marriage and to think about the extra load that children will bring.

A child should only be conceived by a couple who are fully confident that they are able to cope with being parents.

Such a couple will already, through their marriage, have learned how to care for and build a strong relationship with each other and will thus be well-prepared to do the same for their children.

Children as spiritual beings

As well as caring for the child physically, and providing him/her with love and a true sense of his/her own worth as an individual, Bahá'í parents and the whole Bahá'í community, are expected to help the child to grow spiritually.

Bahá'í children are taught to love and obey God as soon as they can understand the idea and should be taught to pray and meditate and to learn about spiritual things as early as possible.

Even at an early stage the children can show their love for God by honouring and respecting their parents, and doing acts of service for other people.

Consultation

Children are expected to play a full part in family life, and this includes taking part in family decision-making through the family council - although only on issues that are appropriate for their age and maturity.

A sense of self-worth

Bahá'í parents treat their children with both love and respect, so that the children grow to regard themselves as valuable and as deserving love and respect.

It follows that Bahá'ís are not allowed to hit children or to rebuke them with unkind words.

Education

Abdu'l-Bahá thought that the education and training of children is among the most meritorious acts of humankind and Bahá'í communities put great emphasis on the development of youngsters.

Fathers and mothers have equal roles in the education of their children and are expected to provide equal education to both boys and girls.

The children themselves are expected to play a part in their own education:

The value of children

Find out more

• Bahá'ís and marriage