Reminder

This really hit home for me. 
I feel like sometimes (okay, a lot of times) Im so focused on correcting my kids behaviour and trying to redirect them that I forget to focus on the fact that they're little people, with their own strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. 
Ya, they drive me crazy, their behaviour makes me want to pull my hair out at times, but for the most part, when I let them be, they are mashaAllah really good. And the more I focus on that, the better it gets. 

How Parents Push their Children Away from Islam

"And that is the question every parent (myself included) must ask themselves: “Can my child see the beauty of Islam in me?” Too often, children are left to think, “What do I need Islam for? It hasn’t done much for daddy.” Because they see how mean he is. They see how he treats mommy. They see how he lies, and they see all of that before the prayer and recitation, before the dhikr beads and beards. There is no amount of Muslim pomp and circumstance that can cover a closed heart. Goodness isn’t the only thing that shines. In its own way, darkness shines too, and it casts shadows on things that should be clear."

A short but very powerful reminder for us as parents.  

Click here.

Toy Drive

Have I mentioned Im so happy were back in Canada? ;)

MashaAllah there are such awesome initiatives going on in our community, makes me so proud alhamdulillah!

Yesterday National Zakat Foundation and MYRec came together to do a Toy Drive.  Each child brought in a toy, wrapped it, and made a card.  There was then an awesome story time and presentation for kids and parents who participated.

May Allah swt accept all the hard work from the many volunteers who made this event happen! Ameen!

Story Time

Making cards

Sticker packages for cards

Wrapping gifts

Family Virtue Club

We started a Family Virtue Club.

A friend of mine recommended this book and Im really enjoying it.  We had our first club meeting

which included the following:

*The virtue discussed was Caring.

*We sat in a circle and lit a candle to remind us to be calm and listen to each other.

*We read from the book about what is caring.

*We listened to Dawud Warnsby nasheed, 'Dont talk to me about Muhammad' and discussed how Muhammad SAW was very caring to everyone he ever met.

*The kids all got a piece of paper and had to illustrate what caring means to them, and they presented it.

*They made a skit together and presented it to me.

InshaAllah next virtue will be Helpfulness, I will inshaAllah post what that meeting includes.

Gratitude Journal

             Today we started Gratitude Journals. InshaAllah we plan to write one thing that makes us sad and three things that we are grateful for.  I would also like to implement it in my day as well.  I listened to a lecture recently (Yusuf partially listened to it as well) and it really made me realize how much I have to take more control of my thoughts and to be more positive.  And of course I would like this for my kids.  So Im hoping we can make this a regular part of our routine.

        We got journals and made cover pages.
        We talked about and memorized the verse, "If you are grateful then I will surely increase you."  (14:7)

I *highly* recommend listening to the following lecture.  Its pretty good for kids too.  A little advanced, but perhaps if its on in the background, they may pick up a thing or too.

May Allah swt enable us to be among those who are thankful, Ameen.

                            

30 Tips in Implementing Islamic Parenting

[I dont have the reference for this article but it was sent to me and I wanted to share]

Every parent desires that his child should grow up to be a pious, upright and productive individual.  This does not happen by mere wishful thinking, rather a concerted effort needs to be made.  There are two aspects of parenting:  effort and result.  We need to make the correct effort and leave the result to Allah. We should not be overly concerned about the result or neglect the effort. 

Parenting is a full-time job.  So much of children's time is spent outside the home and away from parents, that parents think their only responsibility is feeding them, clothing them and looking after their monetary needs.

1.  The most effective parenting method is leading by example.

2.  Upbringing is the result of effort by both parents.

3.  A happy relationship between the parents is essential for the child's proper upbringing.  Children who grow up in a household where parents constantly fight and argue, often slide into a shell and develop a distaste for their parents company.

4. If the mindset of upbringing children is purely materialistic, we are bound to stray from religious objectives and goals.  Do not fulfill all the wishes of the child or else he/she will become spoiled and grow up with the belief that they should get everything they want.

5.  Inculcate  in them the love for simplicity and hatred for pomp and grandeur.  

6.  Show them the consequences of greed, wastage and unnecessary spending of money.

7.  Teach them to be satisfied with adequate portions of wholesome and healthy food.  Never encourage overeating and junkfood.  Treats should be saved for special occasions and not be indulged in on a daily basis. Much of today's poor health is a result of overeating on a regular basis.

8.  Instilling Hayaa (shame and modesty) in one's children is essential. The current day environment and secular institutes in particular aim to destroy this natural hayaa by bombarding them with constant images of shamelessness and immodesty.  Most children have become immune to immorality, violence and other major sins as a result. 

9.  Encourage them to wake up early and sleep after Isha.  Establish a daily routine of ibadaat, study and play for them.  Avoid allowing them to stay up late into the night.

10.  Teach children to refrain from doing acts which are displeasing to Allah and against the Sunnah, no matter what the circumstances may be.  Instill in them that obedience to Allah is above obedience to anyone else.

11.  Boys should be encouraged to work hard and help look after their parents and siblings.  Girls should be taught to upkeep a home, look after the young and learn basic skills necessary for running a home.  In the upbringing of girls and boys, always be conscious of their different roles in life.  Negligence in this regard has resulted in many young marriages falling apart.

12.  Win your children over with constant love and attention.  If he/she does not find it from the parents, they may go looking for it in haraam places.

13.  When the child does something wrong, correct him/her in private in a soft and persuasive manner.  If they repeat the act, punish them appropriately.  

14.  Punishment is necessary in certain circumstances.  Do not refrain from all forms of punishment because of excessive love for the child.  The child needs to learn that there are consequences to face for unacceptable behaviour.  One effective form of punishment is to deprive him of privileges or making him abstain from something he likes to do.

15.  Never punish them when you are angry.

16.  Spend quality time with the children on a daily or weekly basis.  Experience their joys and sorrows with them, do daily chores with them and help them with their school work.  

17.  Daily read stories of the Sahaabah and pious people with them.

18.  Screen their use of the television, internet and social networks.  Never allow them to have unlimited use of the internet or a television in their bedrooms.

19.  Good habits need to be instilled from a young age and bad ones corrected before they become ingrained.

20.  The child should be accustomed to doing salaat, dua and dhikr from a young age.

21.  Ensure that the child receives good islamic education.  Many muslim parents go out of their way to establish grounds for their secular studies, yet they sorely neglect their islamic education.  

22.  Embedd the love of Allah Ta'ala and Rasullulah (sallaahu alayhi wasallam) in their hearts.

23.  Don't ever feel that 'my child is an angel' and can never do anything wrong.  Make him/her admit their mistakes and apologize when necessary.

24.  Unislamic speech and other behaviours should be corrected before they are allowed to develop into habit.

25.  Particular attention to be given to children's clothing.  The way a child dresses has a positive or negative affect on his/her thinking and outlook.  Tight fitting clothes or clothes which emulate those of immoral people, should be actively dissuaded.  

26.  Respect and good manners to elders, relatives, teachers and fellow citizens in general should be constantly ingrained in one's children.

27.  Talking back and shouting should never be tolerated by parents.

28.  One of the major defects in today's society is the lack of humility in people.  Social media has made pride, ego and self glorification a 'good characteristics' in a person.  A child needs to be kept in check of growing arrogance and pride in himself/herself.

29.  The habit of doing one's own work should be inculcated in the child so that he does not become lazy and dependent on others.

30.  Make constant dua for the children and never curse them.

Instilling Humility into Children

A humble person is not someone who thinks he's nothing. He knows he's something, but he recognizes God as the source of his greatness. Thinking one is something without recognizing God as the source leads to arrogance.

TAKE PLEASURE NOT PRIDE

We want to teach our children that they are special, talented, skilled, and everything wonderful, but we also want to teach them that all these are a gift from God.

Children should take pleasure in their accomplishments, not pride. Your son could have used his physical ability and strength to be a bully in the schoolyard, but instead chose to participate and excel in sports. Your daughter's academic accomplishments means she used the brain that God gave her for something good. Both children should take great pleasure in that.

HUMILITY ENGENDERS RESPECT FOR OTHERS

Since the humble person recognizes his inner strengths, he has the confidence to recognize greatness in others. An arrogant 10-year-old thinks he's better than his friends, because (for example) he is such a great reader, whereas the child who has humility knows he's a great reader but also recognizes that other kids are good at things like sports, math, science and history.

It's the small-minded person who puts others down. Really big people make others feel big too. We all want our children to know and appreciate who they are, and to respect others.

KNOWING ONE'S PLACE

If I'm not an electrician, I cannot tell my electrician how to rewire my socket. I could make suggestions, of course, in a polite and modest  manner, as in, "Excuse me Mr. Electrician, is it possible that you forgot to put the connector wire in the socket?" Since the electrician is the expert in this situation, it's right of me to ask him, rather than to tell him. It would be rude and out of place for me to tell him how to do his job.

A child must respect the experience, knowledge and maturity of those who are older than he is. This attitude can be instilled in our children by teaching them three simple words: "Is it possible…?"

For example, when a mother is trying to help her daughter with her math homework and makes an error, her daughter, instead of saying, MUM, YOU'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG!" should say, "Is it possible you're making a mistake, Mum?"

"Is it possible…?" turns vocabulary that is arrogant into a vocabulary that shows respect for a parent. This is an invaluable tool for building humility.

ADMITTING MISTAKES

A final aspect of humility is the ability to admit our errors.

The arrogant person can do no wrong, while the humble person admits his mistakes freely. More importantly, the humble person always keeps in mind the possibility that he could be mistaken. The arrogant person accuses others of having done wrong without any evidence. The humble person asks in a polite manner.

TOOLS FOR INSTILLING HUMILITY IN CHILDREN

1: The best way to our teach children is by example. 

An arrogant person can never teach humility. Since being a parent means we're in a position of authority, it's easy to slip into arrogance. "HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME!" is not the right way to react to a child who is not listening. Our job is to teach patiently and respectfully. The very manner in which we deal with our children's misbehavior can be one of the strongest tools for teaching humility. When we educate quietly, without yelling or insulting, we model humility.

Children are people too, even when they disobey you. Speak gently, maintain your dignity and theirs. If you think that the only way they will listen is if you yell, then you are not disciplining properly.

2: Kids should ask, not tell.

Parents must not only model behavior, they must also verbally teach it. When a child raises his voice to a parent, he must be corrected. Teach your children two rules: ask instead of tell, and speak in a pleasant tone of voice.

The three magic words are: "Is it possible…?" The question helps to foster humility in a child. It is important that children realize that adults, particularly parents, have a different status than children. Adults have more experience, knowledge, and authority than children. It is beneficial for children to look up to, rather than across, at adults. It enables them to learn the art of learning from others. An arrogant child can't learn from anyone.

3: Don't tolerate disrespectful speech.

The young child who is rude and disrespectful will grow into an even ruder teen who may actually swear and curse his parents. These behaviors don't arrive suddenly with puberty. They develop many years earlier from unchecked arrogance.

The following five-step program will help correct speech errors and foster respect and humility. Start with the first step and only proceed to the next one if necessary:

• TEACH the child what you mean by "respectful" speech. Use examples and role-playing.
• REMIND the child to use respectful speech and model it for him.
• PROMPT the child during occurrences of disrespectful speech with: "tone of voice," or "speaking quietly please," or give the child the first few words: "Mummy, is it possible you forgot…?"
• BLOCK disrespectful speech with: "Would you like to try that again more respectfully please?" As soon as the child corrects himself, the parent offers generous praise.
• DISCIPLINE if necessary. When the child speaks disrespectfully, the parent might say something like, "We've been working on speaking respectfully for quite a while now and I think you know what you're supposed to do. From now on, if you raise your voice, use impolite words or demand instead of ask, you will have to write out the rules of respectful speech ten times." (You can choose another suitable consequence, of course.)
•  
• When teaching a child to speak with greater humility and respect, be patient! It can take many years for children to really integrate these speech patterns into their automatic behaviors. Consistency on the part of parents greatly speeds up the process and leads to an overall positive relationship.

As your child grows and learns to speak in a respectful manner, he or she will naturally come to speak to everyone like that — to adults and to peers. Humility will become a way of life. You, the parent, will have given your child a priceless gift, the gift of humility.

Article adapted from Sarah Rad

Orphanage Visit

It has always been a dream of mine to visit and help out in an orphanage.  Alhamdulilah we had an opportunity to visit one here in Malaysia at the beginning of Ramadan.  Mashallah it was a very well kept and well funded facility.  It was so good to see the orphans being well taken care of. 

The Prophet Muhammad SAW said that the one who takes care of an orphan will be beside him in Jannah.  I pray we are given many more opportunities to visit different orphanages inshaAllah.

Baba and his baby girl outside the orphanage.  Subhanallah what a blessing having your parents is. May Allah protect us and our children, and ease the hearts of the orphans who have lost their parents, Ameen.

Meeting the boys.

Yusuf and Ibby were a bit shy, and the fact that the kids didn't speak much English created a bit of a barrier.

Yusuf watching the boys

Getting a tour of the place.

This kinda broke my heart.  To see these names of children without parents .....

Praying maghrib

Distributing candies we brought

Making sure everyone got

Good Deeds

We traced Ibby the other day... can you tell he wouldn't stop moving?  We coloured it and have been putting good deed cards around it which alhamdulillah has encouraged him to practice those deeds.  

We got the set here from Learning Roots.

A different kind of learning...

I cant remember the last time I sat down with Yusuf to do math, or science, or english, or even deen studies/Arabic/Quran.

Yesterday I had a slight case of Mommy-guilt in the morning, but when the kids were asleep, I reflected over our day and concluded that we have indeed been learning a lot.

Baba is travelling overseas and we spoke to him on Skype... we learned about time differences and saw how it was dark there when it was light here.

My mother in law came down to spend some time with the boys and they spent a half hour building a tunnel out of crazy fort sticks.

When I was sitting feeding the baby, Yusuf offered to do the dishes, and actually did a pretty good job.

I was laying down in my bed with a headache and the boys excitedly got cream from my dresser and gave me a foot massage.

When I went to the washroom, the baby started crying, but by the time I came out, she was calm... her brothers sat beside her and soothed her back to sleep.

The boys have grown out of some of their clothes so I spent over an hour going through their clothes and sorting it... the boys helped me by comparing sizes and deciding what well do with the clothes (hold onto them for their younger cousin/ or for Ibby or give them away).

While I was sorting their clothes, Yusuf sat on his bed and read a book to his brother mashaAllah.  Even though we haven't been sitting to read together much, his reading has really improved.  I always heard of kids learning how to read on their own and didn't really believe it until Yusuf did.  When I tried to teach him how to read when he just turned four, he was very slow at it and it was such a chore for him.  But I left him and he did eventually learn because he wanted to!

So there you have it... people have been asking me how homeschooling is going, and I tell them were taking a break right now. 

Were not focusing on any of the main subjects these days, but we are learning, its just a different kind of learning. 

Things to say

Taken from http://inspiredbyfamilymag.com/2012/07/23/28-things-your-family-needs-to-hear-you-say/

What I am grateful for....

I want Yusuf to practice his writing skills more so Im trying to do it in an indirect way since the old fashioned writing drills dont exactly excite him.  Today I made a chart for him and asked him to write / draw four things which he is grateful for.  I was doing some housework while he did his homework and once in a while Id peek over his shoulder to see how he was doing.  I must admit I was a little disappointed that the first two things were materialistic... I was hoping hed choose something a little more meaningful ( I had given him no ideas or guidelines when I put the paper infront of him).  When he called me to show me that he was done my eyes kinda teared up and my heart was relived and grateful that he had chosen Mama and Baba to include in his short list <3

May Allah swt help us to raise grateful children, and always keep us all grateful to Him and to those around us, Ameen.

Syria Part III

Yesterday we attended an event about the Syrian Revolution.  Mashallah it was a good event with four different speakers raising awareness of what is happening there.  Both my husband and I went so that we could rotate taking turns watching the boys.  It took place at a university lecture hall and we were unsure how graphic the content would be and were prepared to take the boys out of the hall to walk around if needed.  For the most part the content was not too disturbing (no videos or pictures were shown), however there was one man there who gave a detailed account of his imprisonment in Syria, but the boys were outside playing with toy cars at that point.  Human Concern International helped organize the event and alhamdulillah Yusuf had the opportunity to hand over the money which he has worked so hard to collect.  I counted it yesterday and it was over $750 mashaAllah!  We took his jar and at the end of the lecture, there was a booth outside collecting donations and Yusuf gave it in.  Mashallah we were very proud of him that he gave it in so eagerly.  There were moments during the time period he had been collecting money where he asked us if he could keep some of the money for himself but we explained to him that the people had given money speifically for Syria and it wasnt right for him to keep even a penny of it and alhamdulilah he accepted it.
I pray that this is the beginning of Yusuf's journey of helping others and that Allah swt keep his heart and intentions pure and accept his hard work.  Also that we as adults take a lesson from his courage and compassion, Ameen.


[I was tempted to take a picture of Yusuf handing his money over, but I just allowed myself to enjoy the moment instead of looking through a lense and have the moment imprinted in my heart <3]

Rules for Mothers with Sons

MashaAllah a really well written article.
When I was pregnant with Yusuf I wanted a girl SO badly! But Allah swt knew what was best for me and I couldnt have ever imagined how much I'd love being a Momma to boys!  People keep saying hopefully baby #3 will be a girl, but honestly, in the end, Allah knows whats best and I'd be just as happy with another boy <3
Click here.

Syria cont'd

Yesterday Baba went to the dollar store to get money rolls for all the money that Yusuf has collected.  This morning after breakfast the four of us (Ibby too!) sat down, sorted, counted and rolled all the change.  [We could have just gone to the grocery store and put it all in those machines that do it for you, but this way there was more involvement and learning :) ! ] .  MashaAllah the total so far is $583.  This has all been due to Yusuf's effort.  I must say I am inspired and proud of the courage he has... its not easy going around asking people for money but his determination to help his brothers and sisters in Syria has given him the motivation to do so!
May Allah SWT always guide him and keep his heart soft towards helping his brothers and sisters around the world and continue to make him an inspiration for us, Ameen! <3

The Straight Path

As part of the ad-duha curicullum we have been studying the first chapter of the Quran, Surah Fatiha. Here is the translation:

In the name of Allah, The Beneficient, The Merciful
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds
The Beneficent, The Merciful
Owner of the Day of Judgment
Only You do we worship
And only You do we ask for help
Guide us to the straight path
The path of those whom you have favored
Not the Path of those whom have earned your anger
Nor the path of those whom have gone astray

So we discussed the meaning and importance of it. When we used to go to an Islamic class for kids one of the moms did this really good activity. To help the kids understand the meaning of 'the straight path' she made a line across the room. All the kids lined up on it. If she said a good deed, the kids got to take a step forward but if she said a bad deed they would fall off. And she told them to pretend the end of the line was Jannah. So we did this at home and Yusuf really enjoyed it... so did Ibby! Hes at an age where hes copying everything so its really cute mashaAllah. Baba also had a turn walking on the line while Yusuf said different deeds.

May Allah keep us, and our loved ones on the straight path which leads to Jannah, Ameen.

When were older...

Today Yusuf and I had a discussion about when we (my huband and I) will be older. Im not sure how it began but mashaallah it went well. Yusufs friend has a great grandfather who lives with him because he is pretty old. So we talked about him as an example. I explained to him how when people get old, they need more help and kids need to take care of their parents just like parents take care of kids when they're babies. We talked about different ways to take care of your parents when they get old, like: eating with them, checking on them, talking to them, driving them places, and buying things for them.

I would like to teach our kids to live a healthy balance between the eastern and western cultures. I find in Eastern cultures (ie. indo pak) that generally there is the extreme of parents ALWAYS being with their kids. Even if the parents are healthy and independant, its a huge deal to move out of your parents house. On the other hand, generally, in western cultures, people go to the other extent of rarely seeing their parents. 'Old Age Homes' is considered a norm here, where overseas it is a very foreign concept!

I find it incredibly heart breaking when families 'dump' their elder, sick parents in an old age home so others can take care of them. I understand it is not easy when a parent reaches the age where they need to be taken care of, fed, bathed, reminded to take their medicine, taken for walks, checked up on, and even diapers changed.... but was it easy for our parents when they were raising us? Did they not put their all into their careers to create a stable income to pay for your soccer leagues / summer camps / new clothes / food in your stomach? Did they not stay awake all night taking care of you when you were sick / teething/ having nightmares? Did they not put their all in raising you? Is it too much to ask to take care of them for a few years as their lives reach an end?

Yes, I understand that in some cases it is very difficult to take a parent into your home so they can be taken care of... and at times, it is more practical for everyone if that person goes into an old age home because of family situations / extreme sickness etc. But I think its just been made too easy and convenient that each city/town has multiple homes.

Jannah doesn't come easy. Taking care of elder parents is not easy. Its all about what youre wiling to sacrifice.

InshaAllah when my kids get married and have their own families, I want them to be happy and chose where they would like to live (Id actually prefer they not live with us when they first get married, unless there is a need on their part). However, if it happens that my husband or I pass away leaving the other one alone, or if one or both of us are sick, I expect my children to be the ones taking care of me, just like were taking care of them now!

For me, this is a huge thing. Not only is it an Islamic concept, but out of basic human compassion, it only makes sense you take care of your parents as they once took care of you when you were helpless and fully dependent on them.

I know Yusuf is only four, and to some its too early to talk about this, but for me, its very important... so Im laying the foundation now.

May Allah swt help us to take care of our parents.. for taking care of them is a means of Jannah for us. And may He put compassion and mercy in our children's hearts for us when we become old... just as we have so much mercy and compassion towards them now. Ameen.

The Good News.......

Alhamdulillah I have begun working for this awesome Muslim kids magazine which comes from UK! I am the Canadian distributor therefore people in Canada can get a subscription directly from me for a cheaper cost than getting it from the website.... = )

Click here to get a sneak peak....

Send an email to littleexplorerscanada@gmail.com to subscribe for only $40 a year... this includes six issues, which will be mailed right to your door!

In the email, include your full name, address, phone number, email and let me know how you would like to pay [paypal or cheque].

Write 'blog subscription' in the subject for a chance to win 50% off the subscription cost!

Yusuf is loving it so far, and I'm sure your kids would too! Its fun, colorful, full of interesting facts and activities and best of all beneficial for their deen inshaAllah.

May Allah help us to raise our children into pious Muslims who He will be pleased with. May He make our children a coolness to our eyes and a means of Jannah for us, Ameen.

Send your emails soon to make sure you're entered in the draw to win the 50% discount!

*remember: for those in Canada, do not subscribe on the website or you'll end up paying more*

Good Deeds Jar

Congrats to Yusuf! He filled his good deed jar! Im so proud of him and Im really liking this form of positive reinforcement! Here are some points I have to mention regarding this method:

-Yusuf was not allowed to ask for rocks
-I tried to observe small acts of kindness and later on mention to him that I noticed. ie. holding the door for me when we went to the mosque (without me having to ask him to)
-I only rewarded him for things he did without being asked... but sometimes would give him one if he cleaned up his toys the first time I asked him to and without complaining
-I did not give him rocks for any religious deeds (i.e. praying).
-We discussed as a family what kind of things he may like to do when his jar is full (bowling, Chuckie Cheese and Toys R Us were on the list)
-I kinda make the final decision with taking him to Chapters ( but he still got super excited alhamdullah). By the way, hanging out at Chapters is a super cool way to spend time together as a family = )
-Im really happy we went to Chapters instead of Toys R Us because the choices are more limited to beneficial things (well mostly)
-He chose the car completly on his own and I agreed
-He saw a few books he thought he liked but they were really random (ie. Moms from Mars) so I chose a bunch of books that I thought hed like and let him choose one
-My husband and I agreed that there was a $20 limit ... and we ended up spending $15
-After we went to Chapters we had a short discussion about how when you do good things in life, Allah rewards you with the best reward.. better than anything that Momma / Baba can buy. And how we have to keep doing good deeds our whole life so inshaAllah we can go to Jannah.

- I was a little hesitant to use this method because I didnt want Yusuf to get dependent on the reward system. Of course rewards are great and all but I also want him to develop the feeling to do good just because its good, and it pleases Allah. I really noticed an increase in Yusuf's motivation to do good things (without asking for stones) so alhamdulilah this was a success. We have emptied the stones and have begun again = )

Happy 100 posts! = )

Yusuf has been having a few listening issues especially with Baba. MashaAllah Yusuf and his Baba are super close, but, Im starting to notice that Yusuf views him mostly as someone to play with instead of someone to listen to and respect. So, our plan of action is that Baba will do one worksheet [such as printing practice] and review the Quran that Yusuf is memorizing every morning with him. InshaAllah this will have many benefits: it will get Yusuf out of the bad habit weve let him get into of going on the computer first thing every morning, it will a good help for me, and it will give Yusuf more chances to have Baba as an 'authority figure' to respect and listen to.

My best friend who comes from a family of 6 siblings told me how when she was growing up they would always have family meetings and I would really like to implement that into our lives. So yesterday we had our first official family meeting [all 4 of us] and alhamdulillah it went well. It lasted about 10 minutes and we just talked about how we are a family which is like a team and we have to work together and we have goals [note the use of sports terminology ;) ]. So we talked about who we want to make happy [ie. Allah] and what we have to do to keep each other happy. I introduced some new words to him such as respect and gentle and we talked about examples of each.

After the meeting Yusuf and I wrote up what we talked about on a bristol board and it is now hanging on the wall in our living room.

You can click on the picture to enlarge it. I noticed after I wrote it hat my writing is not straight.. but oh well = )