Nurturing readers: 5 Books about Ramadān that we love

Nurturing readers: 5 Books about Ramadān that we love

by | Mar 18, 2023 | Blog, Family, We Love

As a parent or caregiver, few things are more rewarding than watching a child’s eyes light up as they discover the world through books. Books are so much more than a source of entertainment – they can be powerful tools for teaching and learning. Whether it’s through stories that encourage empathy and understanding, or non-fiction books that open up new worlds of knowledge, books have the power to shape a child’s worldview in countless ways. Ramadan is a special time for Muslims all over the world. And it is an important pillar of our faith. It is a time of reflection, prayer, and has some acts of worship unique to that month. One of the best ways to teach children about Ramadān or even just show them the beauty that is the month is through books.

Here are five books, we currently love about Ramadān:

  • My First Book About Ramadān by Sara Khan – I love how it simplifies the concepts of Ramadān in a way that’s easy for young children to understand and so making it accessible for children who may not be familiar with the customs and traditions of the month. It includes Ramadān-related vocabulary. The book includes a glossary at the end, which defines terms such as “iftar,” “suhoor,” and “taraweeh.” This is a great way to introduce children to new words and concepts, and to help them build their vocabulary.
  • Hassan and Aneesa love Ramadān This book follows the story of two siblings, Hassan and Aneesa, as they experience the traditions of Ramadān. With bright and colorful illustrations, it introduces young children to the customs and practices of Ramadan in a fun and engaging way. It is a great way to help your child learn about the importance of family and community in Ramadān,
  • Under the Ramadān Moon” by Sylvia Whitman – Is a beautifully illustrated book that follows a family through the month of Ramadan. The book uses lyrical language to capture the essence of Ramadān and the joy of spending time with family and friends.
  • It’s Ramadān, Curious George by Hena Khan – This book features the beloved character Curious George as he learns about the customs and traditions of Ramadān. It provides an engaging way to teach young children about the significance of Ramadān. Children can relate to George’s curiosity and eagerness to learn, and his experiences provide a fun and engaging way to introduce them to the concepts of Ramadān.
  • Ramadān Moon by Na’ima B. Robert – Here, children can follow a young girl as she experiences the sights, sounds, and emotions of Ramadān. The book features beautiful illustrations and lyrical language that makes it a perfect read-aloud for families.

Bonus – because we are in the business of surpassing expectations. Alhamdulilllah!

6. Ramadan Around the World by Ndaa Hassan is a beautiful picture book that explores how Ramadan is celebrated in different countries and cultures around the world. The book provides an opportunity to teach children about the diversity and richness of the Muslim community.

7. Once upon an Eid – more for older audience and would make a great read aloud for families. Once Upon an Eid is an exceptional collection of short stories that showcases the diversity and richness of the Muslim experience during Eid celebrations. Written by 15 Muslim authors from around the world, the book includes heartwarming and thought-provoking stories that touch on various themes such as family, friendship, love, loss, and identity. The stories are well-written, engaging, and relatable, making it easy for readers of all ages to connect with the characters and their experiences.

As a passionate reader, I truly believe that there’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book. Whether it’s a thrilling page-turner or a thought-provoking piece of non-fiction, reading has the power to take us on journeys we never could have imagined. That’s why I believe in nurturing readers – not just by encouraging them to read more, but by creating a culture that celebrates the joys of reading. Whether it’s by sharing your own favorite books with the children around us, joining a book club like Nurturing bookish besties, or simply setting aside time each day to dive into a new story with the family, there are countless ways to foster a love of reading in yourself and the children around you.

As adults, we have the opportunity to guide children through the world of books, to share our own favorite stories and help them discover new ones. By nurturing a love of reading in children, we can help them become more curious, more empathetic, and wholesome individuals. Books provide an avenue to start the conversation around some hard-to-discuss topics as well.

So take the time to read with the children in your life, and watch as they grow and learn through the pages of their favorite books.

Have you joined our reading challenge? Join here. It is free.

Books are great resources for introducing your little ones to the beauty of this holy month in a fun and engaging way. So, go ahead and grab a book and start reading and learning together! And feel free to shop for books at The Dotted Pearl and use code “NBBRAMADAN” for a discount at checkout.

Have your read any of these? Is there any you think should be included to this list? Drop a comment below.

Ramadān Prep: Setting up an Ibadah corner in your home

Ramadān Prep: Setting up an Ibadah corner in your home

by | Mar 15, 2023 | Blog, Faith, Family, Parenting

Ramadān is a very special month for us. And I try to make it very significant in our home. It’s a time of reflection, prayer, and worship, and we are trying hard to create a spiritual environment in our home that helps us focus on our faith during this month.

One of the ways that we intend to do this is by setting up a Ramadān Ibadah corner in our home. This is a dedicated space where we can pray, read Quran, read books to the children, listen to the Qur’an together and engage in other acts of worship throughout the month.

Setting up an ibadah corner doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, it can be a fun and creative project that you can work on with your family. Here are some tips to help you get started:

  1. Find a dedicated space: Look for a space in your home where you can set up your ibadah corner. It could be a corner of your living room, a spare room, or even a nook in your bedroom. Choose a space that’s quiet, private, and free from distractions. Walls are great to be used as borders.
  2. Gather your supplies: You’ll need a few supplies to set up your ibadah corner, such as a prayer mat, Qur’an, tasbih, and a small table or shelf or small baskets, to hold your supplies.
  3. Decorate your space: Add some personal touches to your ibadah corner to make it feel more special. You could add candles, or even some fresh flowers to create a serene and calming environment. If you get into crafts with the children, can hang some of it on the wall. As the saying goes, less is more. Sometimes, just a whiff of incense does the trick. The purpose of this space is worship, so try to avoid pictures, electronic devices (unless used for Qur’an recitation), avoid stuff and clutter. Small baskets or low lying shelves can be used to hold needed items. For moms, designating a basket with stuff to keep younger children engaged during salah. Try to stay clear of items that make a sound so others are not distracted as a result.
  4. Use this space: It is so easy to do so much in terms of preparations but we now get too lazy to follow through. The adults remain the greatest models for the children. Once you’ve set up your ibadah corner, make sure you use it throughout the month. Try to spend some time in your corner every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Use this time to read Quran, pray, dhikr or engage in other acts of worship.

For us, setting up an ibadah corner has been a wonderful way to create a spiritual environment in our home and the children have loved seeing the space change. We moved things around to make the space Alhamdulillah. If you’re thinking about setting up an ibadah corner in your home, I highly recommend it. It’s a simple yet powerful way to create a space for prayer, reflection, and worship during this special month and for the family to connect as well. And maybe creating a physical space just might make it easier to make the time and create the space for these ibadah we so badly want to do. Do not be too focused on what you do not have, start with what you do have. May we always find Allah ﷻ sufficient for us.

May Allah ﷻ allow us to reach the blessed month and get the blessings of it. Amin!

Getting children excited about Ramadān: Introducing the blessed month

Getting children excited about Ramadān: Introducing the blessed month

by | Mar 5, 2023 | Blog, Faith, Family, Motherhood

Ramadān is a very special month, and as parents, we want to share the blessings and importance of this holy month with our children. How do we explain the concept of fasting, prayer, and charitable giving to young children? To be honest, you would think you understand something until you are trying to explain it to a young child. May Allah ﷻ guide us.

Start early: One of the best ways to introduce Ramadān to children is to start early. It is not until they reach an actionable age that we inform them. This will give children plenty of time to learn about the importance of fasting, prayer, and charitable giving. It also serves to help them understand the expectations or flow of things. Also, make it personal. Share your own experiences of what it was like when you were young and explain what this month means to you through stories. Be aware of traditions you want to keep and traditions you want to start to build on. It is also important to explain it in a way that children can understand as it is not very easy to grasp. Also, as much as possible, use simple terms. A good underrated way of achieving this is by reading books about ramadan. A few favourites are;

  • Hassan and Aneesa love Ramadan
  • Under the Ramadan Sky
  • Ramadan Moon
  • What is Ramadan by Goodword
  • Ramadan round the world
  • Hassan and Aneesa celebrate Eid
  • The month of Ramadan is here
  • It’s Ramadan Curious George

A few places to shop for books are The Dotted Pearl, Meena’s Muslimart, Hadiya NG.

Make it fun: Learning about Ramadān doesn’t have to be boring! You can make it fun and engaging for children by incorporating fun activities into the learning process. For example, you can organize a Ramadān-themed scavenger hunt, decorate the home with Ramadān decorations, and again, books. For younger children, could make special Ramadān crafts together, like creating our own Ramadan calendars and for older children, can make fun projects and presentations.

Encourage Questions: Children are naturally curious, and they may have a lot of questions about Ramadān as they have about everything. Encourage them to ask questions and provide honest and straightforward answers. If you don’t know the answer to a question, do some research together, and learn something new! Encourage your children to ask questions about Ramadān and their religion. Answer their questions honestly and openly.

Lead by Example: This is the crux of our roles as parents. The best way to teach children about the importance of Ramadān is to show them. Let them see you fast and pray and engage with the Qur’an and do what is right and keep aside what is wrong. Let them see you improve, change and be your best self for Ramadān. Let them see you give out of what Allah has provided you as well. And show them Mercy, teach them that the month is one of mercy in your being merciful to them. And seek knowledge. Know more, unlearn certain traditions, relearn the sunnah and revive it in your homes.

Introducing Ramadan to children is an important part of of our roles as parents, and hopefully, we can make it can make it a fun and engaging experience for all our children. And In sha Allah we can help our child develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of this pillar of our faith.

Parenting during the Holidays: Ready! Set! Thrive!

Parenting during the Holidays: Ready! Set! Thrive!

by | Apr 30, 2022 | Blog, Family, Motherhood, Parenting

Holidays are so exciting. It is a time for the whole family to reconnect and this is necessary especially if most of the family do not live in close proximity with each other. Eid is round around the corner but these tips will work for any holiday with family. Eid is a very exciting holiday and it is such a blessed time to be around family. However, this comes with some anxiety for most parents and then some more for those who have chosen to parent differently or more intentionally. There is this invisible demand for perfection and comparison. And so holidays or time with other members of the family can be overwhelming AND exciting for both the parent AND the child.

There is the stress of traveling with your children, a change in their routines or rhythm for the day, a new space and sometimes this results in more overwhelm than excitement and as such, is a great recipe for tantrums and connection-seeking (We don’t say attention-seeking). There is a tendency to shift to fear-based parenting. Where we tell our children that when they obey us, do as they are told without question and behave well then they get a reward and the compensation for “misbehaviour” is that they lose something or they don’t get something earlier promised to them. This backfires as it further increases anxiety and even erodes the child’s confidence.

So what can we do instead?

Keep your child(ren) in focus

It is supposed to be an exciting time for bonding and you may need to talk to them about the people visiting or the people you will be visiting. The children are the first priority and it helps to keep your actions and inactions child-focused. Let it not become something they dread.

It is so hard to just sit and listen to unkind comments thrown at you or your child. You could smile and excuse yourself. Or you could decide to hold a boundary. Know that people’s one-off comments are not enough to unravel all that you have done to lay a good foundation with your child. However, it is important to decide what you are going to do, maybe it is okay to let this slide or maybe it isn’t okay and there is a need to hold a boundary. What is your child needing? What are you needing?

Set expectations 

It is important to have clear expectations. It isn’t just about rules and regulations but let your children know what to expect and who will be there and a possible timeline of events. Children thrive best with rhythms and routines and so much unpredictability can be overwhelming and that never looks good. Go ahead and prep them for social expectations as well. For example, “what do you need to do before you go into any room?” and you can make it fun with some role playing and games.

Consider your child’s personality

If your child is more reserved, they may need a lot of timeouts and that can even be just trips to the bathroom especially if they recognise it as the only private place (And would be better without some aunty yelling that they are going to pee too much or making them the focus of the conversation because they moved in their seat). For a more outgoing child, it could be challenging getting them ready to leave and so it is important to notify them and get them prepared before they really have to go.

Have a CODE word

Sometimes there might not be space for privacy and you child really needs to communicate something to you but they may feel embarrassed to just say it out. You can decide a random word that lets you know that they need a break or some private time with you or they just need space. Feel free to pick any word – ‘Hammer’, ‘Green’, etc. And honour it!

Show yourself some grace

It is a stressful time and it is okay if you feel overwhelmed too. However, if you are unable to stay grounded, your child(ren) can absorb all of that and that will look like more tantrums, and connection-seeking behaviour. So take deep breaths, practice smiling and find moments to slow-down within the day. Holidays can be very fast-paced. Remember, your child depends on you to regulate their emotions. 

Peep the food

That sugar-high behaviour can be so unpredictable and the celebrations are filled with so much sugar treats and candies. Be conscious and feel free to step in and hold a boundary. It helps to have healthy choices on hand.

You are the best parent for your child. You are your child’s advocate. Set your child up for success. Don’t put them on the spot asking them to redo something they recently accomplished. Don’t force them to hug or shame them when they ‘forget’ to greet or if they ‘forget’ to say thank you. No need to yell. Just gently remind them by saying, “Thank you Aunty Aisha for the gift or money.” Wait people still give children Eid money right?!

If you have read till here, you are awesome, just because you are trying to do right by your child and I appreciate you.