The Bad Guy-ette

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaykum.

I'm the bad guy-ette. I'm the one who asks if the children went to the bathroom and brushed their teeth when they just want to jump out of bed and play. I'm the one who asks if they have wudhu before they pray. I'm the the who notices that, even if they say they have wudhu, they haven't been to the bathroom in over 4 hours and need to go first and then perform the ablution again. I'm the one who wakes everyone up for fajr. Back and forth to knock on the door again or shake the shoulder until they get up.

I'm the bad guy-ette. I'm the one who tells them to tidy up. I'm the one who makes them say sorry. I'm the one who gives them proof about their wrongdoing and doles out punishments or tells "Daddy." I'm the who has to say, "No," most of the time. I'm the one who has to say, "Stop it!" I'm the one who has to say, "Please,be quiet." Then, "I said, be quiet!" Then, "Shut up!" I'm the Manners Police, the Sunnah Supervisor, the Life Skills Trainer, the Prison Guard.

I know there are many of you out there holding the same position. You, too, are the bad guys and/or bad guy-ettes. I don't know about you, but I get tired of it. I get tired of the dirty looks, the rude backtalk, the negative reactions all directed towards me just because I'm doing my job. But, for all of you in the same boat, here's what I remembered last Saturday: the prophets Nuh (Noah) and Ibrahim (Abraham) alayhum ussalaam. These are examples of patience. These are examples of grace and incredible perseverance under mass rejection and duress. These are human examples sent to us by our Creator (Allah) who make what we put up with seem like an atom in the universe. They did it for the Good, for the Right, to try to bring mankind to success in this life and the next...and that's exactly why we do it.

So, now when I get the rolled eyes or the muttering under the breath as a reaction to some guidance or directive I've given, I just think to myself, "Nuh! Ibrahim!alayhum ussalaam" After all, this is just one young, immature person who doesn't know what's best for them. I may face it with all the children in my care, but it's nothing compared to a whole people. Keeping it in perspective makes being the bad guy-ette not so quite so bad.
All Praise and Thanks is for Allah, our Most Perfect and Merciful Guide!