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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-02-04 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Asalaamu Alaykum. The video coming at you today is another product from Smart Ark. It’s a beautiful hard-cover spiral-bound journal, with sections for various things like contact information, an address book, drawings, and more! Take a look at Mama Sabra’s My Journal:

Do you keep a journal? How often do you write in it?

Video Review: My Journal by Smart Ark is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-28 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

I’ve been working from home as a freelance writer for seven years now. My children were all under the age of four when I first began seriously pursuing home-based writing opportunities. If finding paying gigs was the most challenging aspect of working from home, keeping my children worked a close second.

In the beginning, I imagined myself parenting by day and writing at night; and although I logged in a few late nights to meet pending deadlines, I quickly realized that writing all night couldn’t be my regular working schedule when I was expected to wake up each morning before fajr, and stay awake to manage the children and the household throughout the rest of the day. I was my children’s caretaker 24/7, so I realized if I was going to write, I would have to figure out how to carve out time for writing during my busy, unpredictable days with children underfoot.

Working at home with my children involved some trial and error in the beginning, but eventually we figured out how to make it work. Every family is unique, and various factors come into play when you work at home with children, such as, age and the number of little ones in your household. Most of these tips are for children age 10 and under (because that’s the age group I’m dealing with in my household), but hopefully you’ll find some of the following suggestions helpful:

Keep Your Kids on a Schedule

I have to admit I didn’t operate on much of a schedule before I had children. Today I doubt I could survive without one. Experts say children thrive on having a routine and knowing what to expect. I agree. I learned to keep everyone on a daily routine that involved sleeping, waking, and eating at the same time each day. I also schedule things like television and computer time, outdoor time, nap time and quiet time. I deviated from the schedule once or twice and immediately noticed that everyone was crankier and more out of sorts than when the schedule was in place. I find it’s much easier for me to plan my work schedule around my children than the other way around.

Baby-Proof and Enclose Your Work Area

When my toddler twins started walking around the house, I immediately bought safety gates to keep them and their three-year old sister enclosed in the same room where I worked so I could keep a close eye on everyone. A baby can slip away unnoticed very quickly. Keep toys in the area (rotate them regularly because children can grow bored playing with the same toys over and over again), and you can check your email, or work on projects requiring more concentration while they play.

Keep Workbooks, Coloring Books and Crayons Accessible

Workbooks, coloring books, pencils, markers and crayons can keep kids busy while you work. Your child may really like the idea of “working” on her own project along side you.

Create an “Activity Area”

Create a small “activity station” you keep stocked full of items like blank paper, construction paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils, play dough, chalk, stencils, glitter, glue, stickers and more. Put a small table in the designated area with the understanding that your children will make a mess while working, but it will keep them well preoccupied and stimulate creativity.

Wear Your Baby

Newborns and nursing babies love nothing more than being snuggled up close to Mommy, feeling her warmth, smelling her scent and hearing her soothing heartbeat. A sling, or baby carrier, makes it easy to keep your baby close while you respond to emails, update blog posts or research writing opportunities. There are many different cultures around the world where it is customary for mothers to wear their babies while working. There are experts that say “sling babies” learn more than babies left to lie in carriers and cribs because they spend more time alert and quietly interacting with their environment which leads to enhanced visual and verbal stimulation.

Do you work from home? If so, how do you keep your kids busy?

 photo credit: danielmoyle

5 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You Work at Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-21 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

I am the first one to admit that I rarely eat breakfast.  Between getting my boys up, dressed, and backpacks organized and having to get myself dressed and ready for work it usually doesn’t happen. In November I challenged you to create a family calendar and commit to cooking and eating a home- cooked meal three days a week.

How did you do?

This month I want to include breakfast into the plan.  Planning and preparing is a huge part of this, especially if you’re a mom working outside of the home.  It’s so easy to wake up and head out the door without eating something. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and can provide a great opportunity to start your day on a good foot.

Just in case you don’t want to take my word for it, I enlisted the help of registered dietitian and nutrition consultant Nour El-Zibdeh to provide some expert advice.  Nour states, “Eating breakfast regularly helps people lose weight. Eating breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism. There are about 8-10 hours between the last meal or snack you eat at night and when you wake up in the morning. Breakfast literally means breaking the fast–the fast your body goes through at night. The energy you fuel your body with by eating breakfast kicks your body out of starvation and triggers it to start burning calories.” As Muslims we know how important fasting is and also how important breaking that fast is.  Skipping the breaking of the fast slows us down for the rest of the day!  ”When people eat a good breakfast, they are less likely to overeat at lunch and in the afternoon,” El-Zibdeh says.

So what should we be eating?

Often, people resort to ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, baked goods, and pastries for breakfast because they’re quick or because of misleading nutrition advertising. However, these products tend to be high in added sugars and fats and low in whole grains, fiber, and protein. The best breakfast meal is one that includes protein, fiber from whole grains, a small amount of healthy fats, and fruits or vegetables. I recommend microwaving 1/2 c rolled oats with low-fat milk for 2 minutes, then adding a handful of nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, or almond butter) and fruits (fresh berries, fresh finely chopped apples or pears, chopped dates, raisins, bananas), and spices such as cinnamon or ginger. Use ripe fruits for more sweetness and if you want more, you can add a very small amount of honey or 100% pure maple syrup. Eggs are another excellent source of protein. Hard boil some and store in your fridge for few days for a quick protein-rich breakfast on weekdays, or bake a frittata loaded with veggies on Sunday and heat in the microwave Monday morning. I also recommend tomato and cucumber slices or stick with eggs. ~ Nour El- Zibdeh

I’ve got a great breakfast recipe that combines all of this expert advice along with the practical needs of a busy mom.  Breakfast Power Balls are a favorite of our entire family.  They are easy to make (even the kids can get involved) and they are something I can grab as I head out the door.  Not to mention they are full of natural ingredients – not processed!  Here’s how to make them.

Breakfast Power Balls

Base Ingredients

• 1 cup Nut Butter (almond, peanut, pecan, any nut butter will work)
• 1/2 cup good quality raw honey
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tbsp protein or whey powder (optional)

Do you struggle with breakfast?  This month, challenge yourself to eat a good, healthy breakfast at least 3 mornings a week.  Add this into your meal planning calendar!

Special thank you to Nour El-Zibdeh for providing nutritional advice for this article.  Nour is a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant in Northern Virginia.  You can visit her blog Practical Nutrition and find her on Twitter for more nutrition information and advice.  

Breakfast for the Working Mom: The Most Important Meal of the Day is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Halfway through January already, SubhanAllah–Glory be to God. The four numbers that make up the year 2012 have not registered in my mind just yet because I have been on my winter break. It was almost thirty days of relaxing at home most of the time sprinkled with seeing family and friends, reading, and working the rest of the time. None of those days consisted of writing the date on the upper left-hand corner of my notebook.

Back to School, Again

That changes tomorrow because I will face, yet again, another first day of school, InshaAllah. It used to be nice–getting the jitters and butterflies of the first day just once a year, but now in college, it’s twice a year. Twice a year I need to engage in awkward small talk in hopes of igniting new friendships. Twice a year that I need to adapt to new professors’ teaching and grading methods. Twice a year I need to spend money on buying used textbooks. Twice a year I end up procrastinating writing term papers. Twice a year I stress studying for midterms and final exams. Twice a year I need to search around campus to find new places to pray and new places to study. So it’s officially 2012. It has been for 16 days. It’s a new year, which means it’s about time for a new semester.

Past Experiences with Change

I’m the type of person who isn’t very fond of Change. Not that Change has been particularly mean to me at all–in fact, I’ve had quite the opposite experience with Change. At the end of sixth grade, Change made me find myself in a new academic environment. Not the kind with long hallways, and crowds of students bumping into each other when the bell rang; rather, a quieter abode– a private Islamic school at the site of a masjid, inhabited by the people I now consider my best friends and role models. Change pushed its way into my life once again, when it came time for me to leave my comforting tight-knit-community of a school and move on to bigger things–college. That, and this is no lie, scared me beyond all reason. The transition from a small class of 14 students to a class of thousands of freshman was scary, but more frightening than that was the concept of adulthood. After college, I won’t formally be labeled a student anymore, though having been one most of my life. The first day of the unknown world of what lies ahead after these two and a half years I have remaining as a student is what is truly scary.

I acknowledge I am getting a bit ahead of myself. So perhaps I should share these three important tips that I have found successful in my numerous past first-day anxieties whether it was for school, work, any experience really.

My First-Day Tips

1. Breathe. Take a minute to grab your head and put it back on straight. Step outside or open a window and take a deep breath of fresh air.
2. Prepare yourself. If you’re walking into your first interview, have the proper materials–resume, cover letter, proper attire. First day of class? A pencil/pen, paper, books won’t do you harm. When you’re prepared, materially and mentally, you have less to be worried about.
3. Make du’a. When you have done whatever you can to make your first day go smoothly, leave the rest up to God, and be satisfied with the results.

How do you deal with your first-day anxiety? We would love to hear your tips!

It’s a New Year is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-14 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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• Life in Gaza: Fresh Fish Friday Family Fun: SubhanAllah, Glory be to Allah. The one and only week-end day in Gaz… http://t.co/HBqxmjw7 #

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-07 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

SubhanAllah, Glory be to Allah. The one and only week-end day in Gaza is Friday, so all of the adults sleep in after Fajr. The kids, however, actually run downstairs–YES–right after the time when shurook (daybreak) occurs to either play soccer or build their orchard and gardens.

MashaAllah, after my taking pictures of the various trees, all the kids decided to make the land beautiful. They’re all landscaping by building a bigger canopy for the cocktail (passion fruit vines), designing the land, and planting herbs because it’s winter, shittah, or rainy season.

On One Fishy Friday…

This one Friday, Sido (grandfather) went to the bahar (sea) after Fajr prayer and came up with a garbage bag nearly-full with fresh sardines. Already cleaned, all one neice had to do was rinse the fish in the water really quickly as Sido made the fire. The 3-dozen neices, nephews, Sido, Teta (grandmother) & I (all of the other adults slept in, but this was a new experience for me) enjoyed a fun Friday morning of fresh fish. It was a joyous occasion. For the bigger fish, my girls and I were taught how to pull the skeleton out and eat this delicious meal.

Please share what you do on Fridays as a family. Does it start on Thursday night even though we live in a country with a work week of Monday-Friday? This is another blessing of homeschooling in America–we’ve always prioritized Friday as faith and family time.

We’re curious, have you ever had fish for breakfast before? Please share your thoughts below.

Life in Gaza: Fresh Fish Friday Family Fun is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-31 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-24 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Asalaamu Alaykum! Here is another video review. This week’s review is for Goodword Kids Story Mazes. The books focus on different prophets and inside have activities like mazes and coloring pages for kids to do! They are available at Muslim Toys and Dolls.

What do you think about these cute activity books? Share with us in the comments!

Video Review: Goodword Kids Story Mazes is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

You do your best when you are at your best. I know there is much to do thoughout the day, and it seems like 15 minutes to yourself is just too hard to get.

Does Mama Time Really Exist?

But, don’t feel down! What if I told you that it is possible to have that mama time?

Alhamdulilah, I have four children, three of whom I homeschool. On top of that, there are daily tasks to be taken care of, a husband to tend to, and food that has to be made. Even with all this on a mommy’s plate, there are such things that work as pick-me-ups during the day. I recommend the following:

Tips to Get Yourself Some Mama Time

1. Treat yourself- When my husband goes out, he brings my favorite treats back home, Masha’Allah. There is something that feeling you get when you have your favorite piece of cake. A little treat can bring the greatest delight.
2. Go outside- Move the homeschooling outdoors because hey, we need a little recess too! While the children are in the park  playing, sit on the swing, feed the birds, or just take a moment to unwind with the fresh air. Even taking the children to the museum or to an educational movie (IMAX) would be fun for everyone. Sometimes, we just need to get out of the house, and the children will enjoy it too.
3. Say a prayer- Yes, make du’aa!  Turning to Allah gives the heart ease and peace. We may feel, “No one helps me. I’m by myself. Where is my help?” However, Allah is The One who truly helps. After every salaat, make dhikr. You will find this amazing ease over your heart. Also, if you get frustrated, make wudu and start over.
4. Support- If you have the blessing of a family that supports your homeschooling or that helps with the children, use that card, and get Grandma to be the children’s speacial teacher for the hour.
5. Q is for Quiet Time- My children stopped napping a long time ago, but I insist on there being a portion of the day when there is quiet. Pick some quiet time activities, and let your child do some independent play and learning. We create DIY puzzles at Habeebee Homeschooling, and it makes a fun quiet-time activity. Also giving the kids their favorite books  a nice space on the rug will give you some time to relax.
6. Schedule- Sometimes we feel overwhelmed because everything is out of order, but once you put some structure in your day, you will finish everything on time, your children will sleep on time, and you will have time for yourself, Insha’Allah. 

Alhamdlilah we do a lot in our day. A mom’s job is one that does not end. Just because we work hard, does not mean we can’t take time out for ourselves. You can take care of your family worn and tired out, but how much would they benefit? To make the most of our efforts, it is very important to set aside that special time for Mama.

What are some things you do to make sure you get some personal “Mama Time”? Share your secrets below!

Time For Mama is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-17 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Asalaamu Alaykum! Thursday has become a video day here on American Muslim Mom, and this Thursday is no different. Here is our video review of the Noor Kids Book Series. You probably heard about them previously, too. They advertise with us on the online Eid Gift Guide, and we have a written review about them back from July. You can check them out on their website.

I love this idea–how it’s a book, and not exactly a magazine. Very different and unique! Please share your thoughts below!

Video Review: Noor Kids Book Series is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-10 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

A Sixth Sense

My oldest son is very sensitive, and he has always been this way.  Somehow he has a sixth sense that picks up on pain and sadness in other people.  I can remember when he was only a year or two old he could always tell if I was sad or upset, and he would do his best to comfort me by staying close to me or holding my hand. He also gets upset easily if someone raises their voice to him or if he’s picked on by other kids.  As a mom, I love that he has a tender heart instead of being the schoolyard bully.

From the Hadith & Qur’an

It however seems very common in society to frown on this quality in boys.  We instead encourage them to be “tough,” not to cry, and to fight back.  Every time I hear this toughness rhetoric I am reminded of this hadith;

Those who are kind and considerate to Allah’s creatures, Allah bestows His kindness and affection on them. Show kindness to the creatures on the earth so that Allah may be kind to you.

It seems like such a contradiction to look down upon kindness and sensitivity, but to reward our boys for their ability to fight back.  Many Muslims cite the “eye for an eye” verse of the Qur’an to permit fighting back.  The verse states,

 “Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal.’ But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what God has revealed, they are (no better than) wrong-doers” (Qur’an 5:45).

Personally I find the second half of this ayah more appealing than the first.  I’ve also read many interpretations of this verse that point out almost immediately that it is intended specifically for cases in which a murder has occurred.  In the second half of this ayah it states that remitting, or refraining from retaliation is an act of charity.  We know that charity is a requirement of Islam, and therefore, wouldn’t it be better to encourage our boys to embrace this approach instead of retaliation?

Stop Acting Like a Girl!

I have often heard this statement in response to sensitivity shown by a boy.  It infuriates me. Kindness and sensitivity are not gender exclusive.  Certainly many women and girls have an innate ability to nurture and have a gentler nature than men and boys.  However these two things are not mutually exclusive.  In trying to harden our boys we are denigrating our girls!  This statement automatically tells boys that the characteristics they are exhibiting are negative qualities.  As we have seen this is not the intention Allah (swt) had for any of us!

It is clear that each of the two genders have distinct roles to perform, but when it comes to being kind and showing compassion both genders are held accountable for this.

I love my son for the sweet and sensitive person he is. Whenever I see him seek out a child that is playing alone and engage with them my heart melts with pride. Ultimately, we’re raising our boys to be men and as stated in my last post about raising Muslim boys, we are shaping them into husbands.  Now is the time to give them experience and training in kindness, compassion and sensitivity so that they are able to be good partners in the future.  Give your sensitive boys a hug and let them know how much you and Allah love them for following His commands.

Previously, I have talked about Creating a Helping Tradition at Home and in future posts will focus on other challenges in raising Muslim boys.  If you have questions or comments about this post or about raising Muslim boys please leave them in the comments!

Raising Muslim Boys: Sensitivity is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Asalaamu Alaykum! We wanted to share a video review today for another Smart Ark product. Here are the very cute journals and bookmarks Ponn and her girls each have with an Islamic reminder right on the cover. Check it out: 

Do you or your kids keep a journal? If so, where do you get them from? Please share with us in the comments! =)

Video Review: Islamic Journals & Bookmarks by Smart Ark is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-03 is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

I remember visiting my cousin’s house growing up and outside her room, there were posters plastered on the wall with the Arabic alphabet printed on them and pictures. Ponn’s video review below of Smart Ark’s Islamic Learning Posters reminded me of those visits once again.  This video features three different posters:

1. Arabic numbers,
2. Arabic alphabet, and
3. Du’as

How do you like these large and glossy posters? Please share in the comments below.

Video Review: Islamic Learning Posters by Smart Ark is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Where did summer go?  It seems I was just thinking about summer beginning and now here we are ready for winter!  Personally I love falling back into a routine (even if it is crazy at times!).  The one challenge I always face is feeding everyone when we are all running in 10 different directions, not to mention when I am spending 30-40 hours a week out of the house at work.  I have found that having wholesome meals for home, school and work makes everyone happier and healthier.  I finally feel like this year I’ve got a good plan of attack and hope you can benefit from it too.

Before We Get Cooking…

1. Schedule – In order to make a solid plan, you need to know your schedule as well as the schedule of everyone else in your family.  I have tried a lot of different methods, and ultimately I’ve realized you need to decide what works best for you.  My favorite method is Google Calendar. I put in everything–and I mean everything.  My work schedule is blocked out as well as any meetings or events I have during my work day (this calendar syncs to my work calendar).  My husband’s class and work schedule are there.  My son’s soccer games and practices, as well as the days that he is taking cold lunch are put in (more on that later).  I also block off times for blog work, house cleaning tasks, meal times and homework time for my oldest son.  Doing this allows me to really see what time I do have open.
2. Planning lunches – My children are both in public schools and every month a calendar comes home that lists their lunches for every day.  I go through this list first and automatically send a cold lunch for any day that has a pork option.  Then I go through the remainder with my son to see what days he does want to eat hot lunch.  I usually end up sending cold lunch 2-3 times a week.  Having this mapped out a month in advance makes meal planning much easier for me.  I also can make extra food at dinner time to carry over for lunch the next day.
3. Planning dinners – Let’s face it, after working an 8+ hour day not many of us are dying to get home and cook dinner.  It’s so much easier to grab some take out or throw together some type of basic meal.  I am not against this; however, dinner does not have to be this way!  As I mentioned in my interview with American Muslim Mom earlier this year, dinner time is our time to get together and connect.   Here are some suggestions to help get dinner on the table easier.

Dinner Without the Stress

1. Make a meal plan.  There are countless resources on the internet for meal planning. Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the concept and adapt it to work for your family.  Some people like to try something new every day, others prefer themed days (Mexican Monday, Pizza Friday), and still others plan  based on tried and true recipes from their repertoire.  Schedule these meals into your calendar.  It makes grocery shopping and meal preparation much easier.
2. Pre-cook/prep food.  Something that I am going more in depth about this fall on my blog is cooking for your freezer.  If you Google “freezer cooking” you will find fabulous sites and recipes about cooking ahead and freezing.  While one day will be a long day of cooking, the subsequent days or weeks will be so easy!  Another tip that I have been implementing is prepping food.  If I bring home 5 onions for the week’s meals, instead of chopping them when I need them, I chop them all at once and store them in the fridge.  When it’s time to cook it’s a lot faster.

I’m going to continue this post in the future to discuss planning for breakfast as well as making time for the other duties at home.  If you are a mom that works out of the home like myself, balancing these obligations becomes an extra challenge and I truly feel there is a lot of value in sharing what works!

My Challenges to You This Month:

• Create a calendar for your family that includes everything important to you.
•  Commit to cooking and eating a home-cooked meal 3 days a week.

I hope you’ll leave a message in the comment section letting me know if you will accept my challenge and leave any other suggestions you have for making meal times easier for working Muslim moms!

Feeding Your Family With Less Stress is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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Cultural Differences

One of the hardest things to overcome when I married my husband was the cultural notions of gender roles. Having been born and raised in the United States by parents who were products of the equality movement of the 1970s, I always assumed that boys and girls everywhere were doing the same things. When I went to college we were all on the same fumbling path of taking care of ourselves; doing our own laundry, finding our meals, doing our own shopping, cleaning our dorms. In my delusional young adult state I assumed when I married it would be a partnership and that my husband would be happy to pitch in to keep our house clean, because of course we would both be working successful, professional jobs.

Fate would have it that I did not marry one of my American peers but someone who had been raised quite a bit differently from myself. It seems customary, at least in his culture, that boys and men do not participate in household chores–that work is left for sisters and mothers. I’m not attributing any of these traits to religion but to culture and upbringing. This was so far removed from my worldview.

To Be Independent

When we had two boys, I made it exceedingly clear that they would be learning to take care of themselves in all aspects of life. Here is where the second cultural conflict occurs. I fully expect that when my boys have finished high school, they will go to a college of their choosing. Even if it is in the same town, I will encourage them to live on their own in a dorm or apartment. This however is not what their dad has in mind. The cultural expectation is that they will live at home during this time. Do I want them to leave home because I don’t love them? No, just the opposite! I want them to become adults and learn to be responsible men.

I am not waiting until adult-hood to instill a “helping” tradition in them. From the time they were very young (2 or 3) I have encouraged them to help by picking up their clothing and dishes, pouring their own drinks (as they are able), getting their own snacks, and doing other small tasks around the house. As they have grown in age more responsibilities are added. For fun, I try and get them into the kitchen to help with cooking. This isn’t a chore – it’s a treat! We’re a team and I let them know if all the team members aren’t playing no one wins. If we all work together then everyone wins and can have a good time.

In a Related Hadith

It is not just that I want these things for my boys but they’re actually a part of the hadith! In Bukhari A’isha was asked what Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) did at home. She replied that he helped his wives with their work until it was time to go to bed. Someday my boys will be men, and I hope that by teaching them the value of independence in all aspects of their life they will become good partners for my future daughter-in-laws.

In future posts I hope to continue this series focusing on issues such as emotions and sensitivity, bullying and gender roles. What are questions or issues you face in raising Muslim boys? I’d love to explore your questions more!

Raising Muslim Boys: Creating a Helping Tradition at Home is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

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