Basically, these are “cute-ified” traditional bookmarks that are designed to give you the added benefit of being able to return to the exact page and line that you left off on in your book.

I was thinking that a download would be a good way of giving back since I decided to charge for the Warda paper doll. Hopefully this download can serve as a fun project that helps kids stay excited about reading.

It would be preaching to the choir to go on and on about the benefits of reading, so I’ll save that speech for later.

In the meantime enjoy the bookmarks insha’Allah!

But besides the different religious and cultural differences that are represented here, there  are also many different economic backgrounds. Everyone may not be as into the whole frugality thing like we are, but financing your homeschooling adventure is definitely a consideration for some, especially with the current economic situation. Plus, wasteful spending is so 90’s.

One of the built in features of homeschooling is the built in customization. You can do whatever you want, in whatever way that works best for your child. “Best” doesn’t necessarily have to translate into “most expensive”. Homeschooling doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In this two part post, I’m going to show you some of the ways we’ve saved a bundle and combined thriftiness and quality.

Saving on consumable school supplies

• Make your own dry erase whiteboard:

One of the very first things that we did when we started constructing our study area was to install a whiteboard. We purchased a section of  white tileboard from the local hardware chain, and found that it works perfectly for everyday use.  A nice 4′ by 3′ dry erase white board (which was way to small for our needs) would normally cost around $20. We were able to get ours (which is about 8′ by 5′) for about $10. With the money we saved we were able to purchase some extra tileboard which we sawed into a bunch of  smaller sized, hand held dry erase boards.

Mounting the large tileboard to the wall required a bit of handiwork, but it was a nice project that the kids were able to help out with.

• Make use of the 99¢ store!:

Over the past 5 years or so, there has been an explosion of these stores in our area. At first they were just a novelty, but as their popularity has increased these stores have become a great place to grab school and teaching supplies (as well as other odds and ends).

Quality is definitely an issue here, and if you’re in need of things that need to stand up to more frequent use, you may have to look elsewhere. For a quick pick up of things where quality is not a big deal, the 99¢ stores are great.

• Stock up on back to school sales:

Picking up consumable school supplies about a month, to 2 weeks,  right before public school starts is only the second easiest way to save. The first easiest way is to wait until about 2 weeks AFTER school has started. Take advantage of the great deals as the big box stores cut prices in order to clear their shelves for new merchandise.

• Reuse. Recycle. Re-purpose….whenever possible:

Not being wasteful is an excellent way to show gratitude for a blessing. Being sure that your supplies are not wasted is one thing, but being able to re-use your supplies is an art (and a great money saver!).

For example, our kids have tons of old spiral notebooks that only get half used. That paper can definately be torn out and used for writing excersises or anything else. Old workbooks and coloring books get used for origami or paper mache projects.

Even old worn out crayons can be re-purposed.

In part 2 of this post, I’ll look at some ways to save on books and other curriculum materials. Have any other  suggestions on how to save, please leave your tips in the comments!

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Healthy habits are big with me these days. My children are getting older and time is flying by. Before I know it they’ll be on their own and I pray that they’ll retain the best of what I could offer them (be it ibadat, eating, manners, hygiene etc.)  and forget the not so good stuff. It’s amazing how much we pick up from our parents, or whoever we spend the bulk of our time with. Insha’Allah we’re all blessed with the best of company.

Having said that, this post is about sweets….and Jumu’ah.

As much as I would love to bake irresistible desserts daily,  this would wreak havoc on the nafs, so…. I was trying to find a reasonable compromise. I call it ““Sweet Jumu’ah.””

The idea goes like this; Saturday through Thursday we forgo dessert (unless it’s a special occasion or we have company) and patiently wait until Jumu’ah to go all out and have an all out super dessert night.  Jumu’ah is a day we should look forward to anyway, but what better day to single out for a tasty homemade baked treat.  This is good for the children also, keeping with the goal of establishing good eating habits and moderation.

One of  my favorites for “Sweet Jumu’ah” is apple pie, masha’Allah. Not very original, I know, but I just can’t seem to get enough of it.

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite apple pie-ish desserts;

Apple Harvest Cobbler

Ingredients:

About 7 or 8 apples ( I use whatever we have on hand at the time, granny smith, gala, red delicious, etc… and since Fall is right around the corner, finding a variety of delicious and  affordable apples should be a breeze.)

1 yellow cake box mix (white will work just as well)

1 1/2 sticks of butter, or margarine

Method:

Peel and slice the apples, crumb the cake mix with butter and sprinkle over apples in a pie dish. That’s it! A 9”x 13” cake pan would work just as well, but you’ll need more apple to fill the dish (Hooray!!!)  Bake according to the cake box instructions, usually about 350 degrees.

For some reason, pie crust is  frightening to me. I can’t explain it. It seems simple enough to mix some flour, butter, and water then roll but  no matter how much I plan to make regular apple pie, I’m always intimidated by the crust making part. This pseudo pie allows me to avoid all of that and comes out so good, that I can only make it occasionally for fear of going completely overboard.Everything in moderation right? Even wonderfully delicious, homemade apple pie substitute.

If you like this recipe or would like to share some of your own “Sweet Jumu’ah” recipe ideas, please let me know in the comments insha’Allah!

I’m not sure how I missed this one, but I was never aware of any controversy regarding Islamic Fiction.

After stumbling across an article about it on Wikipedia, (not that Wikipedia is the authority on all things Islamic by the way) I guess I can understand why there might be a question concerning the value or benefit of this genre.

The main concerns seems to be with story-telling based on lying, and fiction being a frivolous way in which to spend one’s time. Both of these seem pretty convincing to me, but  is there any leeway for the use of fiction in a way that is beneficial in helping to teach young muslims (as well as non-muslims) about praiseworthy values and principles.

Maybe it’s these  concerns that  account for the shortage of fictional books for and about Muslim “tweens”.

Alhamdulilah, there is no shortage of Islamic books teaching our beliefs about Allah, the Prophets, good adab, the pillars, and so on, but oftentimes it seems that the tone and the way that the currently available literature is written, makes it hard for my kids to digest and retain the important information.

I want my children to be able to have the same enthusiasm for reading about matters that are important to their aakhira that they have for reading about  Charlottes Web (pigs are haraam to eat, not  read about ), Laura and her family’s trek across the Prairie (granted this is not quite fiction)  and all of the other classic , and adventurous  tales the kids are often reading.

Instead, or in addition to those, how about a series with characters who have fun and exciting adventures and experiences Muslim children can relate to and learn from.  Aminah and the Missing Hijab, Taha’s Big Test, or, The Curious Caravan, where the kids relate science discoveries with the creation of Allah and History as experienced by Muslims all over the world!  You get the picture.

There are, however, a nice little collection of books written by Yahiya Emerick (I’ll be reviewing one of his books soon, insha’Allah) and a few others  that seemed to be what I’ve been looking for.  The books I came across seem like a nice first step in an attempt to include Islam in the arena of children’s fiction. But still very, very limited in selection and quality (or perhaps I’m not looking in the right places).

I’m praying  that all of you  aspiring writers out there really consider  Islamic fiction. The field seems wide open with numerous opportunities for dawah, education, and just overall nice, halal entertainment for kids.

With Islamic Home Schooling on the rise ( insha’Allah it’s on the rise), as well as the overall Muslim, english speaking population, there most definitely must be an audience including myself  awaiting your future best sellers, if Allah ta’ala wills of course!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Success is with Allah

Everyday after marghrib, I try to sit down with the kids and have a short talk with them. Sometimes it’s about the basics of making salaat, having good character, or why it’s important not to poke ones sister in the eye. Its a great way to spend some time with the kids and try to impart some Islamic values all at once. But with our schedules being so hectic, sometimes it’s really hard to stay consistent.

I always have trouble staying consistent. I have great expectations, I get fired up, I start something, stay exited about it for a bout a week (if that) and then for some strange reason, I always end up losing momentum. I’ve been trying to figure out what my problem is and it dawned on me that the problem was with my lack of focus and loosing sight of what initially motivated me to start the action in the first place. Those few times  in my life when I was successful though,  there were some very specific things that helped me stay motivated.

Review and renew your  intention

It always helps to go back to the initial reason you decided to do the action. We all know how important a sincere intention is, so why not go back and renew that intention and look at some of the initial reasons why we thought it was a good idea to begin with.

Break your final goal up into bite sized pieces

Sometimes a lofty goal can be overwhelming. If you find yourself giving up because it just seems like too much, it helps to break your goal up into smaller easier-to- manage pieces. Set milestones. Look at the short term. For example, if there was something that I wanted to get into the habit of doing everyday, I would initially try to do the thing for 3 days in a row, then try another 3 days and keep linking.

Use self imposed rewards, and punishments

Sometimes the nafs only responds to consequences. Try setting some self imposed limits, rewards and punishments. For example I might say to myself;  ”If I miss any of the next three consecutive  days, no coffee for me on the following day.”

Set a timeframe

Sometimes setting a timetable can be a helpful motivator in getting things done. We’ve all experienced that sense of urgency that comes with having a looming deadline. Setting a timeline for your goals is a good way to simulate that sense of urgency and harness that natural adrenaline.

Force yourself do it anyway (even if your efforts and results stink)

Striving for perfection can become your greatest enemy when trying to stay motivated. Doing your best, and having the best possible outcome is one thing, but when perfectionism becomes an excuse to procrastinate, its time to try something else. Lets face it, whether it be writing, parenting or being flawlessly pious , we’re never going to get it perfect every time.

Don’t be afraid to start over and try again

Its difficult to admit when we’ve failed at something. Even if that failure is just not being able to follow through on our intention. Don’t be too arrogant (or stubborn) to admit th yourself that your approach might not be the best. Being flexible and accepting of the fact that we may be going in the wrong direction allows us to rework our plans. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle tweak in our approach to get us back into the swing of things.

Make dua

This one absolutely has to be mentioned, even if it seems obvious. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own hopes and expectations that we may start to attribute our outcomes to our own abilities. We forget who’s really running the show. A simple dua can help put things back into their proper perspective. All we can really do is make a sincere intention and try our best. The tangible results are with Allah. Understanding this simple principle takes away a lot of the failure anxiety that can drain your motivation.

Remember the akhira!

This one has to be hands down the most effective and practical way to stay motivated. When you consider the fact that our time is extremely limited and we will be rewarded or punished based on the intention of our actions, you can’t help but feel a little boost of energy to get things done and stay motivated. We all have limited capacities and resources, and we’ve all been blessed with specific talents and strengths. Understanding the big picture and the REAL final goal is a big factor in determining ones drive.

I would love to hear how some of you moms stay motivated.

I wasn’t much of a reader myself as a child (mostly I just played video games, which probably attributed to my mild video game addiction) but I did enjoy a good read every now and then, and even had a few favorites that I remember even up until now. As we start to beef up our library, I’ve been trying to include some of the titles from my own childhood. As I revisit some of these “classics” I am really starting to see the benefit of childrens literature and how valuable a really well written and well presented story can be for a young and impressionable mind.

We put together a list of some of our favorites and why we think they’re awesome. Each one of them has its own special loveliness that our household just can’t get enough of.

Little House on the Prairie Series

Definitely a childhood favorite, however when  reading it again as an adult with the kids, there was a lot that needed to be explained about the plight of the Native Americans and all the suffering they went through in order for Laura Ingalls’ family to have these glorious treks across the then Indian territories.  Despite this, the series wonderfully depicts the self-suffieint lifestyle and pioneering spirit of the late 1800’s. It is also quite refreshing to see how Laura and her sisters are so thrilled by the simplest  things like candy, paper dolls, a new made sewn dress, or just running free outdoors. I know there is a Unit Studies on this series called “Prairie Primer” (i think), which is a testament to how beloved the semi-biographical series is here in the states.

Fox in Socks

The human soul has a natural rhythmic  inclination. Dr. Seuss seemed to have a gift for tapping into this most basic human impulse.
I remember the Fox and Knox characters from when I was kid. The colorful illustrations and tongue numbing tale is unforgettable.  It still seems as fresh now as it did back in the day.

What I love about the book is the fun little “tongue training” you get by reading it. Diction is pretty important to us (even though my own everyday speech is littered with slang and drawl) especially when you consider the type of tongue control that is needed to properly recite Quran. The book is great fun especially for budding poets (and qaris).

Any reading textbook from the 1980’s

I’m still not quite sure if it’s my own childhood nostalgia that draws me to these books, but everyone else seems to enjoy them as much as I do. Also, these books are perfect for proving to my kids that; Yes, we did have computers, telephones, and cars when mommy and daddy were little. And, yes, neon was an accepted social norm, and we liked it doggone it!

There is something appealing  about the educational materials produced in the 80’s that I just can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s the way that the books reflect all of the ideals that society was striving for at that time. Whatever the case, there is something about writing and the artwork that I find comforting, naively optimistic, and ridiculously charming all at the same time..  We picked up a few of these at a used book sale at our local library and since then we been hooked on the retro goodness of the books.

Pinocchio

And no, I’m not talking about the watered down Disneyfied version. I’m talking about the original, written by Carlo Collodi in 1883. We got our hands on an adaptation by Allen Chafee (illustrated by Lois Lenski) and this version is waaay more exciting and interesting than the animated movie. I’m always a sucker for cautionary tales where the moral is “If you don’t obey your parents, you’ll grow up to be a donkey.” but this story is really about so much more. There’s an animate wooden puppet, a talking cricket, donkey boys and a DOGFISH!! With so many sensational events occurring all at once, you don’t even notice the very real (and very powerful) underlying theme of accepting responsibility for wrong actions and struggling to improve ones character. My children seemed to identify with Pinocchio and I see why. Pinocchio is a wooden puppet who essentially only wants the love of his Dad, and although he means well, he makes many mistakes (many of which he pays dearly for) along the way while trying his best to do what’s right.

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell’s classic about the life and trials of a horse is one of our favorites because the story just works on so many levels. When we read it together, everyone in the house took something different from it. It’s a great story whether you see it as the simple story of a horse, a treatise on animal rights or an allegory on the struggles of the oppressed. What really stood out though, is Black beauty’s optimistic outlook regardless of  how bad his situation. Sometimes it’s difficult to explain to children the trials and tribulations that we are tested with, but this book was a good starting point for explaining the concept of “slavehood” to Allah (swt).

Beatrix Potter stories

In the introduction of Peter Rabbit Giant Treasury, Cary Wilkins sums it up pretty well by saying,

“But the stories are not sentimental ones of cute and precious little animals. They are lively tales of independent little creatures who have places to go and things to do.”

I don’t know what it is about a little animals wearing people clothes, but it is absolute comedy gold! When we first got the collection of stories, we couldn’t stop giggling at how cutely ridiculous the little characters looked. The tales seemed to work well though, and it is easy to see why these stories have withstood the test of time.
These stories have a more “classical” feel to them than the others listed here, but they still convey a lovable whimsy that makes them a joy to read (over, and over and over…).

Now I can almost hear some of you scoffing  at some of our selections, (Classical learning homeschoolers, I’m looking at you)  But that’s okay, I know that taste in literature is subjective. Please share some of your family’s faves in the comments.

The point is, their day is pretty much booked.

I initially felt like I was over doing it by scheduling every minute, however after a week or so test run of the schedule, they seemed to like it and it seems to keep down the chaos (for everyone 6yrs and older that is). My two toddlers kind of get in where they fit in for now, but I feel like I at least have something to start with.

As adults,  its important for us to keep account of our days, and actually not just our days but every moment, (for which we all will have to be reckoned).  Spending as little time possible in wastefulness, laziness, procrastination, etc. is in our best interests (young and old alike).  I already have these issues, but my children don’t have to be made accustomed to them, insha’Allah.

I have tried to explain to them  that every action on our schedule is a means to gain reward. Whether it be school work, taking out the trash for morning chores, or playing a simple game with each other,  if you just make the golden intention to please Allah, you’ll see it in the next life, insha’Allah.

I’m really praying that I can remain consistent on this one.  How do you all make the most of your days?

As salaamu alaykum everyone!

Thanks for visiting.

When we decided to start this blog, we were hoping that it could serve as a forum to communicate and engage with other Muslim parents who face some of the same challenges that we have. Of course, there was a lot of discussion on whether or not it was even worth the time and effort.

It’s not easy to produce a really rich and useful blog.  It just seems so difficult to hit that sweet spot wherein the content is both honest and personal but at the same time rich and beneficial.

Still, there are many wonderful blogs out there that are great at this (may Allah increase you all!). We’ve gained so much insight and have used many of the tips, tricks and inspiration that we’ve collected over the years and we really felt like the relationship was one-sided, with everyone else giving and participating and us just taking.

So, we  came to the conclusion that what we really wanted was to engage more with the greater community, which ultimately lead to the creation of this blog.

I almost feel like there is a pressing need to connect with others in a more meaningful way, but it increasingly seems like most of everyone’s time is spent in front of a screen. As sad as it is,  maybe nowadays,  online blogs and social networks  are the most effective ways to connect with others.  I could go on and on about why this is problematic, but instead, I figured I try to concentrate on the  benefits of the medium, and use it to work towards a more ideal situation.  One of the benefits that we get from the web is being able to easily connect with like minded individuals. For example, 10 years ago someone deciding to try homeschooling would have found it much more difficult to find resources and support. But now, how easy is it to Google a few words and find hundreds of others with similar challenges and concerns?

I don’t know. I could be off on this one, but I think there might be something to the whole sharing, networking, hivemind, pooling of resources thing.

I’m  guessing that what it all comes down to is relationships. I’m hoping that through sharing and honest, caring interaction, somehow something of worth can be scavenged from the superficial. What is that “something of worth?” Well, the possibilities are endless, but again it all starts with relationships.

And Allah knows best.

At any rate, we’re praying for the best and hoping that all of our time (and yours) is well spent.

Keep us in your Dua!