Determined to get to work on today’s homeschool project, I told my daughter to call Baba. “Baba, what’s a Gamma Camera? or a nuclear camera?” While on the road, and unable to hear, he kept yelling “What? What?” So, she continue to ask, “What are they? How are they different?” “What are What!?”

It was a funny conversation held on speakerphone for the whole family’s eager ears to listen in. “Why do you want to know?” he quickly asked, but before he could take a next breathe you can hear his pride lightening up in the conversation but in a rush while driving he searched “there’s no difference between a gamma camera and nuclear camera, they’re the same…they’re used to scan patients…to look inside, like the heart, and find bad things…but, just google them both and research more about them…you’ll find a lot, and then when I come home we’ll talk more…okay?” “Okay, Baba, thanks!”

Hubby takes pride whenever the girls express interest in learning more about anything he does…and he makes them love things (in a loving way of course) that he loves regardless, because “you need to know this” is always insists! As a biomedical engineer, the girls get graduate-level lessons in biology whenever he studies the latest equipment, finds new procedures for different ailments, etc.

Like they say “teach a fisherman to fish to feed them a lifetime, rather than giving them fish”. This is how we’ve trained the girls to conduct their own research, get into the depth of their studies, then we have an educated discussion as a family.

As expected (by all of us), they quickly found youtube videos and slideshows describing what they are, why they are used and different styles and types.

Just like the girls follow in my footsteps in writing, blogging, etc. in reality their biggest strengths are in STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math, due to their parents being in science.

While, our goal isn’t necessary EVER to have them follow in our footsteps, by integrating our professions into their homeschool studies, gives them individualized, personalized and very personal education experiences that none of their peers can ever have, simply because every childs’ parents have different professions.

Dare to teach your kids your professions. Interest them to research more of your chosen field of study. Allow them the room to grow with you and have them study WITH you for your professional exams, certifications, etc. These are just a few of the ways we homeschool our daughters.

Now, we’re curious of your homeschool ways too. Please comment below!

Disclosure: This post is part of a blogger campaign organized by Bucks2Blog. Check out our review here, and Join Today to get paid to blog! If you get a gig, please let them know Ponn Sabra/American Muslim Mom referred you, thanks! We were not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

Do You Know What a Gamma Camera Is? A Lesson from a Homeschool Parent’s Profession is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

The Hooked on Phonics programs are continuously updated, and since my youngest will be 8 this month, inshaAllah, God willing, and she has been reading since 2 years and 10 months, it has been quite some time since we reviewed reading programs. Anyways, we only had one experience with Hooked on Phonics when my eldest was very young, but listening to cassette taps and reading one and blue text books were a bit too boring and not interactive enough to keep any of our attention, let alone interest. We gave it a good week or two of sporadic tries, even with my very animated help…but we happily gave it back to its owners and never looked back.

Little did I know that they underwent huge changes over the past years (nearly a decade later)! Besides Arabic and learning the rules of Tajweed for the Qur’an, my girls and I have never taken well to route memory or repetitive learning activities; so I’m extremely happy that Hooked on Phonics decided to make some much needed changes for the better.

They have colorful storybooks by award-winning authors, online access to interactive website, DVDs, CDs and accompanying workbooks–just to name a few of the resources to interest young ones to enjoy the reading process. It’s not surprising to find they received multiple awards, and their advancement of their reading programs throughout all elementary grades. And, they even expanded into Math and Science programs!

While some would think I worked really hard to have all my girls read at or before 3 years of age, I simply read, read, read. We played writing games, so they were all writing letters of the alphabet at 2 years of age, and we had so much fun that it was when my oldest was 5 years old reading chapter books that I cried to my homeschool girlfriend out of guilt for not being the one who taught her how to read. Then, as any supportive girlfriend would do, she adamantly reminded me of the countless hours I read and played, wrote and played, read and wrote…etc.

So, with this huge advancements in this more interactive, more natural multiple-senses kind of learning aides to teach kids to read, I recommend that you give Hooked on Phonics a try. Since they offer a 30-day risk-free trail period, free shipping, and bonus gifts to keep if you decide to return for any reason. So, you have nothing to lose–but, everything to gain: such as a life-long lover of reading!

Disclosure: We did not receive compensation for this review. Therefore, we were not influenced in anyway to share only positive remarks. After all, lying is haram (prohibited). You’re welcome to read American Muslim Mom’s disclosure policy and contest disclosure.

Hooked on Phonics Gets Interactive is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Math Blaster is a fun new educational virtual online world by Knowledge Adventure and it was  officially launched to the public yesterday! My girls have been reviewing it over the past month, sharing their feedback, asking critical questions, and we one of the very few bloggers that were allowed to announce it’s official launch with review and giveaway. Actually, in searching the blogosphere on Wednesday, I believe they were the only ones to post on the official date! So, you’ll get their insider sneak preview-review and an opportunity to learn about this incredible educational virtual world series (because JumpStart is included) that we’ve had in our homeschooling arsenal for over 7 years! We cannot homeschool without Knowledge Adventure products!

They showcase

• a video slideshow,
• detail review,
• comparison between MathBlaster and JumpStart,
• unique features and more!

Knowledge Adventure is offering a 6-Month FREE Membership for up to 6 kid members, with a value of $47.94. Please share your comment love, and enter their growing community of kid reviews and kid tips at Kid Bloggers Club for the week.

MathBlaster – New Virtual World Just Launched This Week- Win 6-mon membership is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Please welcome my youngest daughter, pen name, JoJo. She’s 7 years old and wrote, typed and formatted this blog post herself. She chose this topic herself, I just helped her with the title.

I would ask my mom all the time to play on both of these sites because these
sites are so fun.

Arcademic Skill Builders

Arcademic Skill Builders has addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, language arts and geometry games.

On Arcademic Skill Builders, my sisters and I would challenge each
other on the games, and there are always new ones. My favorite game is the Division Horse game because my favorite animals are horses.

Multiplication.com

Multiplication.com has all different kinds of games just to practice multiplication.

Designing GirlyGirlReviews.com X Inbox X Reply | Ponn M. Sabra to me, Dina, Z, Sophie show details Dec 16 (5 days ago) Bismillah. What do you think? JuJu is a 10-year old aspiring MD/FD (Medical Doctor & Fashion Designer) who loves Math & Science and Arts & Crafts equally. When she’s not managing this blog, you can find her tinkering on computers & cars, reading or writing, crocheting or knitting, or just drawing images of anything imaginable. An award-winning inventor at 8 years-old, she believes all girls can have a lot of fun with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) if they just give it a try. Perfect picture depicting Math + Arts & Crafts: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Office_and_Stationer_g145-School_Days_p12823.html GiGi is a 9 year-old Romantic Foodie who’s either quietly engrossed with a delectable dish, or drawing massive attention to her proud middle-sister position by dancing, singing, running, jumping around, or simply laughing up a tune to her own beat. The sensitive one of the trio, her favorite scene of her favorite movie was when one of the 12 Dancing Princesses proudly awed at her sister (Barbie) and said, “Ohhh, how romantic!” Light Romantic Foodie: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Valentines_Day_g135-Strawberry_Heart_p4016.html Dark Romantic Foodie: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Fruit_g104-Light_Flavored_p14687.html JoJo is a 7 year-old Green Money-Managing Techno-Junkie. Using a keyboard even before she could talk (literally!), if she’s not preoccupied with her laptop, you can find her reusing or reducing anything before it hits the garbage can. Since she loves gardening and handling money, the family believes she may have actually figured a way to “Grow money from trees”. Never without a pocket-full of green, her sisters (& mom) often have to “borrow” money from her whenever they’re out. Money & Growing plants “Green” http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Energy_and_Environme_g160-Money_Green_Plant_p21236.html Growing Money: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Money_g61-Growing_Money_p21651.html Reply Reply to all Forward Reply | Z S to Ponn show details Dec 16 (4 days ago) Awesome! The pics are hysterical! Mama ROCKS!!! =) Luv JuJu - Show quoted text - On Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 1:16 PM, Ponn M. Sabra <ponn@americanmuslimmom.com> wrote: > > Bismillah. > > What do you think? > > JuJu is a 10-year old aspiring MD/FD (Medical Doctor & Fashion Designer) who loves Math & Science and Arts & Crafts equally. When she’s not managing this blog, you can find her tinkering on computers & cars, reading or writing, crocheting or knitting, or just drawing images of anything imaginable. An award-winning inventor at 8 years-old, she believes all girls can have a lot of fun with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) if they just give it a try. > > Perfect picture depicting Math + Arts & Crafts: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Office_and_Stationer_g145-School_Days_p12823.html > > GiGi is a 9 year-old Romantic Foodie who’s either quietly engrossed with a delectable dish, or drawing massive attention to her proud middle-sister position by dancing, singing, running, jumping around, or simply laughing up a tune to her own beat. The sensitive one of the trio, her favorite scene of her favorite movie was when one of the 12 Dancing Princesses proudly awed at her sister (Barbie) and said, “Ohhh, how romantic!” > > Light Romantic Foodie: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Valentines_Day_g135-Strawberry_Heart_p4016.html > Dark Romantic Foodie: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Fruit_g104-Light_Flavored_p14687.html > > JoJo is a 7 year-old Green Money-Managing Techno-Junkie. Using a keyboard even before she could talk (literally!), if she’s not preoccupied with her laptop, you can find her reusing or reducing anything before it hits the garbage can. Since she loves gardening and handling money, the family believes she may have actually figured a way to “Grow money from trees”. Never without a pocket-full of green, her sisters (& mom) often have to “borrow” money from her whenever they’re out. > > Money & Growing plants “Green” http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Energy_and_Environme_g160-Money_Green_Plant_p21236.html > Growing Money: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Money_g61-Growing_Money_p21651.html > Reply Forward Z is not available to chat

Online Math Games To Play By Yourself or Others is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

My girls and I were so bummed that our tweets were not showing up for our very first participation in a Girls Night Out  (twitter hashtag #gno) with dear mommy blogger Jyl at MomItForward.com this past Tuesday because the topic was dear to our hearts: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM).

We had some short tips ready to share with the mommies, and we tried our best to keep up with the questions only to find that no one can see us So, mid-way through we dropped out of the party

But, I couldn’t let our humble tips go unnoticed, so I shared some of our tweets below. [At the time of posting this, we just noticed that Jyl had the awesome idea of sharing wonderful tips shared from that night in this comprehensive post here.]

*Tip:  If we have a link in the tweet, just click the image because it’s linked to that site.

1. STEM Homeschooling Parents

Introduction and one reason why this #gno was important so important to us:

2. Getting kids excited about STEM

Q1: Get kids into Inventing/Designing for an Inv Convention *not* just a sci fair: http://bit.ly/3igeh4

Q1: the reaction of testing sugar, warm H20 & yeast is fun http://bit.ly/bYeJdU TipL not boiling hot H20, warm tap

3. Websites to help kids enjoy learning Math and Science:

Q2: Math Another *Great* website: http://www.coolmath-games.com

Q2: Math *Great* website: http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/ We use in our Math Club

4. What do your kids want to be? What did you want to be when you were growing up?

5. Thoughts about how STEM classes are taught in school Then and Now:

6. Was there a stigma for girls entering STEM when you were growing up?

Remember, we only have 3 girls; so if there’s definitely no stigma in our house May God have mercy on Mommy’s soul–we miss you

We’d love to try all your wonderful STEM tips! Please share them below.

Science, Techonology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Tips for Kids is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Woo hoo…our youngest pooped and peed in her training potty today. She actually enjoyed hangin out there and giving high-fives to everyone too. She’s 20 months old.

Our 4 year-old figured out addition and subtraction herself. It was way cool. She said, “Mama there’s five of us and when Baba goes to China (where he conducts business) then there’s only four of us”. We played with our family of five, added and subtracted and she actually got the concept without having to count every single person.

For example, she says if I go with Baba, then three of you are left at home. If we both come home then all five of us are together again. Aww…what a proud moment.

Our 4 year-old and 3 year-old got regular watches last month, even though our 4 year-old only knows how to tell digital time. I haven’t had a chance to teach her minutes, until today, I made a drawing of a clock with hours in the center, and minutes (all 60 minutes) on the outside. I had her check the digital time and find the numbers on the drawing and showed her watch so she made the connection.

She absolutely loved it. She was also reading the minutes as single digits until today, I tought her the twenties, thirties, etc. She’s catching on very well.

Our 3 year-old had a field day drawing family pictures. She finally makes bodies with all our faces, she’s so proud of herself…so are we of course.

After a wonderful warm spring day yesterday, as fate would have it we got snow today. Aww…I love days warm at home.

Potty-training & more is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog