7×3 or . concept parenting implemented by Ali Bin Abi Talib is currently one of the methods of educating children from an early age in terms of morals and norms and ethics of a child towards family as well as the environment.
As stated in the words of Caliph Ali Bin Abi Talib regarding the 7×3 concept, the following:Teach your children according to their times, because they (your children) live in their times, not yours. Verily they were created for their time, while you are for your time (Ali Bin Abi Talib RA).
Khulafaur Rasyidin’s expression, known as the 7×3 concept, seems timeless, the concept can be applied until now and even becomes an example of how to educate good children in Islam.
Because Islam understands that science is dynamic which is always changing and developing every time so that its application must also be adapted to the times.
More specifically, the explanation of Ali Bin Abi Talib’s expression is divided into three important stages of the character formation process in educating children. This concept is known as the 7×3 concept.
Concept Stage 7×3
The stages of the 7×3 concept start from children aged 0-7. At this stage, the child is treated like a king. At that age, a child is still in the process of learning and getting to know him, including seeing the attitude and treatment of his parents to him.
If parents pour love and tenderness to children, then he will grow and grow into a gentle and loving figure to fellow creatures.
In this 7×3 concept, Ali Bin Abi Talib assesses that a child must be served wholeheartedly and sincerely. Because, everything parents do to him will have an impact on the development of behavior and character.
However, placing a child as king at that age does not necessarily place a child so special that it makes the child become spoiled and lazy. Parents also still need to be firm on certain things.
The next phase is when the child enters the age of 8-14 years. At this stage, the child is taken as a prisoner. Prisoners in this phase are not meant to be taken literally. A captive in the sense that the child has grown up. The time is given and an understanding of their rights and obligations. Morals and beliefs and things that are allowed and prohibited should be understood and obeyed by children, even though they still get their rights proportionally.
For example, the obligation to carry out worship, respect parents, maintain relationships and be disciplined in various ways is part of his current life. In this phase, parents must supervise the child’s social environment considering that at this time the child is in the transition of puberty.
The third or final stage of the 7×3 concept is children aged 15-21. Here the child is placed as a friend, considering that at this time the child has entered puberty, the ideal role of parents is to place the child as a friend.
Because at this time, children have experienced many changes starting from their physical, mental, and social environment which are vulnerable to friction with what their parents have taught them.
Like friends, parents must be able to understand, listen so that children want to be open about what they are going through. The application of attitudes that tend to be authoritarian towards children at this time will actually make children restrained and try to find a different ‘place’ in other environments.
Children who are positioned as friends will feel appreciated, their self-confidence grows well with strong Islamic personalities so that they are able to filter in their interactions.
So that when a child enters the community, he already has a strong provision through the values that his parents instilled in him. He is a mirror of goodness, high morals and a trustworthy generation in accordance with Islamic principles.