![\"\"](\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-G7XlzpkpQy8\/T2fWI-jCyUI\/AAAAAAAAAN0\/Pcxreid_h84\/s1600\/YES.jpg\")
It\u2019s fajr time, and for today at least I have kept my resolve not to dig back under the covers. I take a deep breath, a long sip of coffee, and enjoy the peace of silence\u2015a sound that has become almost alien since the school year has ended and summer begun.<\/p>\n
I make resolutions all the time. Today I\u2019ll start reading a whole juzu\u2019 of Quran a day, and I\u2019ll walk an hour on the treadmill. I won\u2019t eat any junk. I\u2019ll pray jama3a more often. I\u2019ll involve my kids in the activities I\u2019m doing.\u00a0 I\u2019ll remain calm all day\u2026so easy to make them\u2026.almost as easy as it is to break them.<\/p>\n
And so I made a new resolution. Make small changes. I started real simple\u2015try saying yes more often.\u00a0 I gave my kids a list of must do\u2019s for summer: \u00a0100 jumps, 15 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes each of reading Quran, Arabic, & English, at least one hobby related activity a day, and at least one major chore.<\/p>\n
They say, \u201cMom want me to read you a book?\u201d My knee jerk reaction is \u201cNo, I\u2019m folding laundry,\u201d but I stop myself in time. I can fold and listen at the same time, can\u2019t I? \u201cYes,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n
My oldest says, \u201cMom want to pray Jama3a?\u201d \u00a0\u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWant to have a contest who can jump the most?\u201d \u201cYou Bet!\u201d (We\u2019ve gotten to 250 jumps a go so far)<\/p>\n
\u201cNeed help?\u201d \u00a0\u201cDo I ever! I need someone to match socks and someone to put away the dishwasher.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWanna help me read my quran Mom?\u201d\u00a0 \u201cSure do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I hear my husband getting ready for work after salat. He says, \u201cWant some coffee?\u201d\u00a0 I start to pull the covers over my head, but then remember to say yes\u2015even halfheartedly. So I\u2019m up.<\/p>\n
And before I know it, many of my resolutions are being kept, and I\u2019m happier because I\u2019m liking these changes. And being happier, puts me in a good mood which leads to a positive attitude, which leads to me being calmer when my kids\u2019 disputes flare. They sense this calmness and it affects them. I give a look, a nudge, a shake of my head, a loud sigh, and then a longer stare. They get the hint, and resolve their own issues in a quiet (well, quieter than usual) manner.<\/p>\n
What do you know\u2026.there\u2019s another of my resolutions kept! Subhanallah!<\/p>\n
Hanan<\/p>\n
Hanan is a mother of four who enjoys reading, writing, and thinking of new ways to challenge her kids.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s fajr time, and for today at least I have kept my resolve not to dig back under the covers. I take a deep breath, a long sip of coffee, and enjoy the peace of silence\u2015a sound that has become almost alien since the school year has ended and summer begun. I make resolutions all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1573,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16,22],"tags":[517,660,1140,1261],"class_list":["post-4303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lite","category-motherhood","category-self-development","tag-hanan","tag-keeping-resolutions","tag-self-improvement","tag-taking-small-steps"],"yoast_head":"\n