How can I coach giving the charger to the one with lower battery? 

Parenting Perspective 

Arguments over chargers may seem small, but they are real-life lessons in fairness, empathy, and self-restraint. When a child insists, ‘But I had it first!’ or ignores a sibling’s dying battery, the goal is not just to resolve the quarrel, but to cultivate the instinct to prioritise need over want. Start by acknowledging their perspective: ‘I know you both need the charger, and it feels unfair to have to give it up.’ This validation opens the door for reason, rather than resentment. 

Turning the Moment into a Fairness Habit 

Teach your children to ask two simple questions before they reach for the charger. 

• Who needs it more right now? 

• Can we find a way for both of us to get what we need? 

Encourage them to check the battery levels on their devices together before deciding who should go first. If one has 15% and the other has 60%, you can guide the one with more battery to say, ‘You can charge yours first, and then I will use it after.’ This small act becomes a practical exercise in empathy, teaching them to think of others’ comfort before their own convenience. 

The ‘Charging Fairness Routine’ 

You can also set up a clear and predictable system. 

• Whoever’s device is below 20% gets priority. 

• A timer can be set to signal when it is time to switch. 

• Everyone should unplug their device after it reaches 60–70% if someone else is waiting. 

Keeping these rules visible on a simple card near the charging spot can help to reduce conflict and build self-management skills. 

Coaching the Language of Cooperation 

Teach them practical and polite phrases that can help to prevent defensiveness. 

• ‘Can I use it after your battery reaches 50%?’ 

• ‘Your battery is lower than mine, so you can go first.’ 

• ‘Let us set a timer so that it is fair for both of us.’ 

Role-play these sentences with them during calm times. When they succeed in sharing fairly, praise not just their action, but also their attitude: ‘You noticed that your brother’s battery was low and you gave him the charger first. That shows real maturity and kindness.’ 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, fairness and compassion are acts of worship when they are done for the sake of Allah. Teaching your child to give up the charger for someone in greater need becomes a micro-lesson in ithar a noble form of selflessness that purifies the soul and invites divine reward. 

Preferring Others in Need 

The Quran perfectly captures the essence of this moment: true success lies in overcoming our own instinct to cling to what we have. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Hashar (59), Verse 9: 

‘…And giving preference over themselves, even though they were impecunious themselves; and whoever is salvaged from (the inherent state of) being miserly for himself, then they are the victorious.’ 

You can tell your child, ‘When you give the charger to your sibling because they need it more, you are doing what Allah calls success; you are saving yourself from greed.’ Connecting this everyday dispute to their faith helps them to link generosity with honour, not with loss. 

The Reward of Helping a Fellow Muslim 

The teachings of our Prophet ﷺ apply to every small act of relief we can offer to another person. Giving someone the charger when they need it most is a simple, modern way of easing another’s difficulty. 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2580, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Whoever relieves a believer’s hardship in this world, Allah will relieve his hardship on the Day of Resurrection.’ 

You can tell your child, ‘When you help your sibling’s battery to survive, you are bringing them ease, and Allah promises to bring ease to you in return.’ 

When children internalise the idea that fairness and compassion bring divine love, their motivation can shift from a fear of rules to a love of goodness. Every small act of generosity, even one as simple as handing over a charger, becomes a seed of iman (faith) that grows quietly in their heart. By framing fairness as an act of worship, you help them to see that kindness never drains us; it only recharges the soul.