“My dears, the time has come to move.” I still remember the line from The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day book that was given to us by the moving company taking us from coast to coast. It was a delightful story to share with my boys and we read it countless times. Over a decade later, here we are moving again, not so far this time, but still a significant move nonetheless. My boys have outgrown The Berenstain Bears, but it... Read more
A young girl asked her elder female relatives about advice for dealing with friends that are engaged in un-Islamic behavior, such as talking inappropriately to boys. She wanted to know how to make her friends stop without becoming alienated. Here are some responses that we hope give you ideas for how to advise your own children. A says: First of all your responsibility is for you to be pure and happy and follow the footsteps of our beloved Prophet (pbuh)... Read more
My four and half year old daughter Sarina has twinkling brown eyes, beautiful long, black curly hair, dimples like her daddy, a big toothy grin like her mama, and spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. She is not defined by her diagnosis, but it is an essential part of her life, and ours. My husband and I have been on a long journey to come to terms with the reality of our lives and have found ways to find the hidden blessings... Read more
1.With the highest reports of the flu in years, and winter still going strong, read here to learn how to fight it. 2. We could all use some advice on dealing with anger. 3. Need dinner ideas? Check out this mouth watering mama’s Lebanese Kitchen recipe 4. Try this creamy turmeric tea. It’s good for the brain. Well, at least that’s what Dr. Sanjay Gupta says. 5. Like baking? Click here to find out how you can host a mamabake!... Read more
My Experience with Vaginal Birth after C-Section I had just arrived at my obstetrician’s office after finishing the five-month ultrasound at the hospital. I was expecting a quick visit since I was gearing up to switch doctors. It was time to make the first all-important decision of my pregnancy: who will delivery me via VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean). My current doctor doesn’t do VBACs, but isn’t against them. That did not console me much. I had spent five-months searching... Read more
I baked up a storm and the breads and granolas are stealthily disappearing. I caught up with laundry and organized closets, the next cycle is already starting to pile itself up with clothes rapidly throwing themselves into disarray. I organized all the toys, puzzles, and books in the basement and just when I turned away, it seems they grew feet and started clambering out of the neat shelves spilling over the basement floor into the living room and bedrooms. Every... Read more
Many of us chuckled during the blackouts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy when we read the internet meme that read: “Being at home reminds me of how much I miss my crappy job.” It’s seems to be a toss-up whether being home creates more work or allows the time to catch up with it. What is certain is that being with multiple kids at home full-time is an impressive feat not for the faint of heart. Although some seem... Read more
Growing up, I always believed that I would be a writer. I had plenty of journals and diaries filled with moments from my life but I can’t tell you where those diaries are now, because I never held on to them. I am what you call a Disposer, and by that I mean I like to purge my clutter, physical and emotional. I always found it so liberating to empty my closets as well as my emotional baggage every few... Read more
Perhaps it is because of recent events, personal strife or the gloomy winter season- this overbearing sense of loneliness, uneasiness, and fear of the future going around. Everyone feels these emotions at one time or another. What’s a person to do when this unsettling feeling starts taking over and getting in the way of taking care of yourself and your family? How can you see past the clouds and look to to a bright and springy future? Humans have a... Read more
GrowBaba spotlights provide a space for Muslim fathers to share their voice, reflections, and insights with our community. We were crossing a busy Los Angeles street together. Half-way through the intersection, he held my hand and we calmly crossed the rest of the intersection. I was 38 and he was my father. A few years have passed since then, yet that feeling never went away. Folks, I actually liked holding my father’s hand. The problem is that it bugged me... Read more
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