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I was not planning to be on Instagram till after Ramadan but I had several sisters message me to say that they will be doing the ‘Crack the Ramadan code-challenge’ with their families, which is super Allahuma barik. However, there were some sisters who told me that their children were a little too young to participate, so I made a toddler-friendly version! . . The setup is exactly the same as the original challenge, even the code itself is the same. However, for the junior edition, the questions are much easier, with clues and pictures to help the child further. Of course, a grown-up helper can help spell out the word too. . . The printables can be found on the blog-link in bio. . . I hope you and your families have a wonderful Ramadan and do let us know how your families got on with the challenge. Tag anyone else who may be interested too. . . I will be on Instagram until tonight answering any questions you may have, and then I'll be off for good inshaAllah! . . #ramadan #ramadanprep #ramadanchallenge #ramadanfamilychallenge #ramadanforkids #muslim #muslimfamily #islam #islamforkids #muslimmom #muslimhomeschool #islamicstudies #bringinglearningtolife #makingmemories #muslimhsm #Allahumabarik #monthofmercy #monthofquran #muslimparents

Hope you and your families have a beautiful and blessed Ramadan. . . You can contact me via the blog if you need any help with the Ramadan crack the code challenge. . . Wasalamualaykum!

When all my worries pause. . . #ramadan #monthofmercy #monthofquran #momsanity #momsanitysaver #metime #Allahumabarik #Alhamdulillah #ramadancountdown #soexcited #islam #homeschoolfreedom #muslimsahm #muslimhsm #musliminstabloggers #muslimmummotivation #homeschoolburnout

My family chose the harder option, envelopes will be given at random rather than in order! . . Did your family sign up for the challenge? Swipe for a glimpse of some of the questions! . . Visit the blog for all the templates-link in bio. . . #Ramadancodechallenge #Ramadanquiz #Ramadanactivity #RamadanFamilyQuiz #Ramadan #Ramadan2018 #Ramadanprep #Muslim #Islam

30 days - 30 envelopes. Can you and your family crack the Ramadan code? . . Simple and inexpensive, this challenge will keep the whole family on their toes! Check the previous post for all the info. . . Printables available on the blog-link in bio. Share with family and friends, and tag us @happymuslimhomeschool if you're up for the challenge!

Today, I’d like to share another Ramadan activity that can be done by the whole family. Like our Gratitude board, this ones not just for the kids. Kids, parents, grandparents and guests can all join in. But there’s a big difference….. this is a CHALLENGE! . . Let me introduce our ‘CRACK THE RAMADAN CODE’ challenge. . . The concept is simple. Every day, for the next 30 days (or 29) you will be handed an envelope. In this envelope, there will be a question related to Ramadan. There are some simple questions, and some fairly challenging. I kept them varied so everyone has a chance to help crack the code! . . Once you’ve figured out the answer, you need to take the specified letter and write this letter on the back of the slip. Then stick this on the board, and that’s one part of the code cracked! At the end of Ramadan, and with the assumption that you’ve answered the questions correctly (!), you will be left with a sentence… The Ramadan Code will have been cracked!!!! . . Since my kids are past the Ramadan countdown phase, I knew they would enjoy something that would challenge them, yet still be useful and exciting. I quickly realised though, that we could all join in and benefit. I can already envision everyone thinking about the answers, and waking up every day trying to decipher what the code could be. To make it even more challenging, the envelopes don’t have to be given out in order – give your family the choice of making it ‘easy’ or ‘hard’. I already know my family will go for the harder option – who doesn’t love a good challenge?! So, are you up for attempting to crack the Ramadan code?? . . Link for printables in bio. . . Tag anyone who might like to join, and share with family and friends. Tag us at @happymuslimhomeschool if you're up for the challenge!

Only a child could turn a glass jar and cotton balls into a beautiful 'dreamcatcher'. . . #Allahumabarik #unstructuredplay #schoolholidays #noscreen #creativekids #Alhamdulillah #eclectichomeschool #unschooling

Insha'Allah. And now its time to pause, and give ourselves time to rejuvenate. A month of beautiful blessings is fast approaching. . . #Allahumabarik #Ramadan #Ramadan2018 #homeschoolblessing #homeeducators #Muslimhomeschool #happymuslimhomeschool #lifeisablessing #monthofmercy #monthofquran #Islam #Quran #muslimmom #muslimsahm #muslimahbloggers #ramadanreflections

When you ask one of your kiddos to make you coffee, and they make you their own concoction. . . #Momlife #Allahumabarik #morningcoffee #homeschool #creativekids #Alhamdulillah #kidsareablessing #recreatingcostacoffee

No transcript could have prepared me. #psychology #thematicanalysis #reallifepsychology #psychologyinpractice #momlife #readingbetweenthelines #homeschoolmom #motherhood #parenting #muslimmom #momstruggle #momsanitysaver #Allahumabarik #parenting

Told my youngest to set up an activity for me and him, so he did, complete with bowls of porridge. . . Who needs Mom to set up sensory trays?! . . #Allahumabarik #Alhamdulillah #kidsareablessing #kidsarehilarious #sensoryplay #sensoryactivity #independentkids #homeschoollife #momlife

So it's that time of year again. When the caterpillars in my tummy turn into butterflies, my fatigue turns to energy and that feeling of monotony turns to excitement. . . Ramadan is on its way, bringing with it bag fulls of mercy, forgiveness and opportunity. It couldn't have come at a better time. . . Trash bags at the ready, it's time to declutter, physically pack up this school year, and get ready to welcome our beloved guest. . . May Allah make us amongst those who witness Ramadan! . #Allahumabarik #Alhamdulillah #feelingblessed #ramadanroutine #ramadanfun #Ramadan2018 #monthofmercy #monthofmercy #muslimmom #muslimhsm #muslim #islam #5pillars #Quran

Ever find yourself… Still wearing the same pjs/shalwar kameez/sheedh or baati you woke up with at 5pm? Forgetting to brush your teeth? Eating the whole family size bar of chocolate, instead of a couple of squares? I feel you, I’ve done the same. You see as mothers, and homeschool moms, in particular, I feel, as our responsibilities increase and the demands of daily life seem like an ever-growing mountain, we tend to put our self-care on the back burner. . . Ahh yes, the infamous old ‘Self-care’ that we’ve all heard about before. It’s the term we google late at night when we’ve slept with our coffee-stained PJs, wondering whatever happened to the old me. . . But self-care for me is simple. It’s anything you do for yourself that feeds your mind, body and soul. . . And a word of warning here..it doesn’t have to be so elaborate! One mistake I feel we make when we do have those late night panic attacks, is to associate self-care with something that takes up hours of time which we don’t have, hence we swiftly click off Google and go back to binging on our chocolate bar. . . But self-care doesn’t have to mean we need to go on a mountainous hike, all alone, with a coffee every morning before the kids wake up. Or that you must commit to a gym workout every day while the hubby keeps the kids. While it’s fantastic if you can do this (!), it’s not realistic for everyone. On the other hand, don’t make the mistake of thinking that those pockets of time you do have for yourself though, are better spent on doing something else either. . . So make a promise to yourself today and… Don’t skip that shower to get an early start on breakfast. Pray on time, the hoover can wait. Brush your teeth first, the kids seemed to be immune to each others ‘morning breath’ anyway. Realise when one cup of coffee becomes one too many. While the kids are playing, read that book which inspires you. Don’t skip making the juice because of the mess. It doesn’t bother you when you know allowing the kids to make pizza will make them happy, so it shouldn’t bother you when you know how good it will make you feel after. Get the workout in – come rain or shine. . . Self-care needn't be a joke!

Most Ramadan crafts and activities tend to be for children but this one is for everyone. . . The concept is simple. After you break your fast and have completed another day of the blessed month, everyone lists down one thing that they were grateful for that day. Kids, parents, extended family and guests you have that night join in and take a turn to write onto a post-it note. By the time Ramadan has finished, you will be left with a board brimming full of things that Allah has blessed you with, a drop in the ocean compared to the number of the favours Allah has blessed us with, Alhamdulillah. See, there is always something to write about….but not enough space to write down everything. It will take you less than 10 minutes to put this together, but it will be memorable for your whole family, inshaAllah. It’s also inexpensive, and easy for someone who is not an avid crafter! . . See how we made our board on the blog-link in bio. Tag family and friends!

Alhamdulillah, we start our final week of school tomorrow. Then after a few days it will be time to immerse ourselves in the blessed month of Ramadan. . . It might sound cliché but the year really has flown. I still remember plowing through all the school planning, and now here we are...we've slowed down and it feels good, Allahuma barik. . . So a couple of sisters have asked about how we prepare for Ramadan. There's not particular list I follow, it varies every year. But here's a few things I'll be doing over the next week insha'Allah. . . *Take some time to evaluate our school year, making a note to continue what worked and highlight what didn't so I can find an alternative. I won't be doing in depth planning for next year, I will do that gradually over the next few weeks. . . *Prepare some review folders for the kids to work on during Ramadan. Just 15/20 minutes to recap and practice things they found more challenging. . . *Plan and prepare books/activities and materials we want to focus on during Ramadan, our core learning during Ramadan is Qur'an and Islamic Studies. This will take up the most time. . . *Declutter the whole house. I do this often so it shouldn't take more than a day. Then once the clutter has gone, add some simple Ramadan decor. . . *Spend a day or so preparing a few freezer items. I pretty much keep my cooking the same throughout Ramadan, this will just be a few easy things to have at hand. . . *Buy Eid gifts and clothes. . . Thats pretty much it. My aim is to make my space facilitate my focus, and small preparations make a big difference. Spiritual focus requires thought and time, hence I don't like to spend too much time physically preparing. . . May Allah make us amongst those who reach Ramadan!

The world is changing so quickly, it's amazing to see just how much things have changed since we ourselves were children. . . Our definition of success seems to be attributed largely to what we can physically hold, touch or capture on film. This desire to present ourselves to be 'perfect' has resulted in the breeding of insecurities...all in the comfort of our homes. . . Social media is a bombardment of moms who look pixel perfect. Spotless houses, hair styled, in shape, cook from scratch everyday, and perhaps even homeschool their kids effortlessly. . . Now, it's all well and good to be inspired and seek support, advice and mom to mom encouragement. But the issue lies on when we begin to think our USP isn't good enough. Our USP....the thing that dosent make us A mom...but 'MY mom'. . . See, some of us may love baking, whilst some can't stand the mess. . . Some of us are avid hikers, whilst for others a quick run around in the park is enough. . . Some of us are super organised, and others go with the flow. . . And crucially, our circumstances are different. . . Even if you have the same number of kids, your struggles will still be different. The struggle of a revert sister won't be entirely the same as another revert. Attending the same co-op doesn't mean you all have the same parenting approach. . . . So instead of allowing ourselves to feel inadequate by seeing tweets, posts and pins, why don't we embrace our uniqueness? It's ok if we can't be fitness fanatic, cake baking, super gardener mom! . See my kids know I love reading, but they don't complain that I'm not the world's best gardener. They see I'm not great at football, but they appreciate when I join in. . The glass is always half full in their eyes, because kids are naturally optimistic positive beings. . Our kids love us for us and they hold on to our USP, that we are unique to them and not deficient in any way. Let us hold on to that as strongly as they do...

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