The demanding aspects of our full time job as mothers can have a debilitating affect on our spirituality, especially if we have young children who need constant attention and nurturing. We are caught up in the wheel of chores and routines where we seldom find time for ourselves. Ramadan is when we feel it most. We reminiscence of the days when we had the freedom to worship as we please without being tied down to responsibilities. We develop a sense... Read more
Every night around 11PM, as soon as my 1-year old son begins calling for me with his unique cry, I feel like a failure; a “mommy-fail,” if you will. He’s a happy, energetic, social and curious toddler by day, and a semi-monster by night. He goes down in his crib most nights without a struggle, but 3-4 hours later, he wants nothing to do with his crib and wants nobody but me. I have tried many a sleep training methods,... Read more
We asked two of our Growmama writers to share with us how they train their children to fast. Here are their replies: S writes: When the kids were preschoolers I would let them stay up for iftaar and make a yummy spread so that they understood that Ramadan and fasting was very special. Now that they are almost 6 and 8 years old they need more training. It’s hard because many of us have conditioned our kids to eat. Phrases like “Finish... Read more
Here are a few easy craft ideas to help your children get a good taste of Ramadan and to help create lasting memories…and maybe even start a new Ramadan tradition, insha’Allah. RAMADAN CALENDARS The small calendars above were made using 1/2 sheet card stock, reinforcement labels, star stickers, heart punch, glue stick, ribbon/ yarn for hanging and print outs of “Ramadan” “MTWTF” and the following Quran verse : “O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may... Read more
A Green Ramadan is an opportunity to remember and respect our planet which, through the grace of Allah, provides us with the sustenance with which we nourish our bodies and community spirit during a month of fasting. Interacting mindfully with our environment is simply a manifestation of faith. As we refrain from food and drink this blessed Ramadan, let us reaffirm our sense of self-restraint and accountability to the Creator, the Provider of Sustenance. Eat Local & Organic. How much greenhouse... Read more
Muslims in Dietetics and Nutrition (MIDAN)’s: Top 10 Tips for Enjoying a Healthy and Nutritious Ramadan 1. Focus on healthy foods that keep you fuller longer during suhoor (pre-fast) and iftar (break-fast) meals: • Fiber: whole wheat grains, breads, cereals, and pastas; brown rice vegetables and fruits, beans, nuts* and seeds*, Protein: lean animal meat; fish/seafood, low-fat or nonfat dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese) beans, nuts*, and seeds* Healthy Fats: olives and olive oil, canola oil, avocadoes, fatty fish * nuts and seeds, choose unsalted nuts and seeds and limit to... Read more
Oh, Allah. I remember the Ramadans before I got married. How they would be filled with night prayers, reading Qur’an, supplications in the dead of night. And I remember the Ramadan two months after I gave birth to my twin daughters, and I cry. That must have been my worst Ramadan ever, in my scale. And I remember the Ramadan when my girls were one year old, and it wasn’t much of a Ramadan for me, either. And I... Read more
This month’s picks are all related to Ramadan. It’s just around the corner! Ramadan Mubarak to all of our readers. Enjoy this collection of links and resources. Please share your go-to sites in the comments section below! 1. Hakima Midwifery has some great tips for pregnant or breastfeeding moms. 2. We love the Ramadan Moon song by Yusuf Islam. 3. Some great crafts for kids can be found on this Ramadan Joy site. 4. This blog has some pointers for the days that you cannot fast. 5. Can... Read more
We asked our GrowMama writers this question: What are your family Ramadan traditions? S writes: ” On the eve of Ramadan we bake crescent cookies with the children. That’s their first Ramadan smell. As a family we put up some Ramadan decorations. I’ve collected some of their Ramadan crafts over the years and I hang them up around the house along with some white flowered garlands that I bought from Michael’s. The kids love to see their old crafts. About an... Read more
A month of fasting from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset may not sound like anything to look forward to but Ramadan is the most beautiful and most anticipated month of the year for many Muslims, myself included. It is the month in the Islamic year that unites all Muslims from all ethnicities and social classes, a month that reminds us all that the only thing that makes one person better than another is their piety, not their... Read more
Grow Mama Grow
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In