Parenting Perspective 

In the busyness of modern family life, promises can sometimes be unintentionally forgotten. However, honouring our commitments is fundamental to fostering trust and accountability with our children. Calendars, reminders, and other technologies can be excellent aids in staying organised and ensuring that promises are kept. By implementing these tools, you create a reliable structure that supports consistency, strengthens family relationships, and models the importance of seeing things through. 

The Role of a Family Calendar 

A shared calendar is a simple yet powerful tool for keeping the entire family aligned and aware of commitments. 

• Create a Central Hub: A shared family calendar, whether digital or a physical one in a central location, helps everyone track promises, events, and important dates. When a promise is made, it can be added immediately, ensuring shared visibility and collective memory. This serves as a constant, visual reminder for the whole family. 

• Highlight Key Commitments: When you make a promise, mark it clearly on the calendar. You can also add alerts leading up to the date. For example, if you promise a trip to the park after a week of good behaviour, schedule it and set reminders a few days beforehand. This practice helps you stay organised and also teaches your children about managing their own commitments. 

Leveraging Reminders for Reliability 

Digital reminders on personal devices can act as a personal assistant, ensuring that no promise slips through the cracks. 

• Set Timed Alerts: Smartphones and other devices allow you to set precise reminders for tasks and promises. Whether it is a promise to pick up a child from an activity or to work on a family project together, setting alerts ensures that the commitment remains a priority. Multiple reminders can prevent last-minute rushes and forgotten duties. 

• Use Voice Assistants and Apps: Voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant make it easy to set reminders verbally and instantly. This is especially useful when your hands are full. Simple note-taking or to-do list apps also provide an accessible and visible log of promises that you can check throughout the day. 

Using Apps for Tracking Commitments 

Dedicated applications can help manage and track promises, turning intention into consistent action. 

• Promise-Tracking Apps: Certain apps are designed specifically to help you track commitments and deadlines. These tools are ideal for busy parents managing numerous responsibilities, as they provide a clear system to ensure promises are remembered and followed through with consistency. 

• Shared Family Organisers: Family-focused apps like Cozi allow you to create and share task lists with everyone. By having a shared digital space where promises are recorded, every family member can help hold one another accountable, reducing the frustration that comes from unmet expectations. 

Building Routines for Consistency 

Integrating promise-keeping into your family’s regular routine solidifies the habit of accountability. 

• Daily or Weekly Check-ins: Establish a routine to review upcoming promises and family goals. This could be part of a brief daily chat or a more formal weekly family meeting. Regularly revisiting commitments ensures that nothing is forgotten and that progress is being made. 

• Acknowledge Follow-Through: When promises are kept, celebrate it. Acknowledge the effort that family members made to remember and honour their word. This positive reinforcement highlights the importance of reliability and encourages everyone to remain true to their commitments. 

Spiritual Insight 

Quranic Guidance on Fulfilling Promises 

Islam places immense importance on fulfilling one’s word, treating it as a sacred responsibility that builds trust and character. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Israa (17), Verse 34: 

‘…And fulfil all your promises, as indeed, you will be questioned about all the promises that you have made (in this life).‘ 

This powerful verse reminds us of our duty to honour every promise we make. For parents, keeping our word with our children teaches them the foundational values of reliability, honesty, and responsibility. By using tools to help us remember our commitments, we are actively aligning ourselves with this divine guidance. 

Prophetic Wisdom on Honouring Commitments 

The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ further stress the seriousness of keeping a promise, linking it directly to a person’s integrity. 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 2633, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘When a man makes a promise and does not fulfill it, he is considered a liar before Allah Almighty.’ 

This Hadith underscores the gravity of honouring one’s word in all relationships, especially within the family. By ensuring promises are tracked and fulfilled, we not only maintain our children’s trust but also live by the noble example of the Prophet ﷺ. This practice builds integrity and strengthens family bonds, teaching our children the profound value of commitment.