We've Moved......

Now.... 

www.aasiyashomeschool.com

Relaunch.

I am going to put blogging on hold for the moment and will inshaAllah be relaunching soon.

In the meantime, stay tuned by like my Facebook page by clicking here.

Confessions

I send my kids mixed messages by taking pictures of them when they do naughty things.

Ibby with corn starch on his face.

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. 

What We're Supposed To Do

Today we were supposed to do your science homework,
but instead you played with the bugs you caught outside.

We were supposed to put your laundry away,
but instead you checked out the plants in the garden.

We were supposed to have showers,
but instead you got dirt under your nails.

We were supposed to do a lot of things that we didn't actually do.
But smiling, having fun, and enjoying nature, are really the most important
things that were supposed to do.
So thats what we did.

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Dear Ibby,

Today you were supposed to do your homework.  You haven't done your Canadian Curriculum in almost a week.  You need to practice your writing and your math.  Just as you finished your Arabic homework, we were supposed to move onto something else and you asked me if you could take a break.  I said no.  You then asked if you could just quickly go read your book and promised it would be only five minutes.  It took a lot from me to say yes.  The I-must-prove-I-can-keep-up-with-the-curriculum Mom in me started to come out but I (literally) took a deep breath, and let go.  I let go of the expectations and stresses, and said yes.  

You broke your promise.  You were longer than five minutes.  But its okay my baby, I forgave you.  It's okay that you took longer than five minutes.  Its okay that you took longer than ten minutes.  Actually its so okay that we never even opened any other homework books today.

As a second child of three children, sometimes your accomplishments aren't as acknowledged as they should be.  But this one is big.  This one deserves a big recognition.  You have been reading for maybe about a year now, but only a handful of words.  But now, now you are really reading.

You're reading so well that you completed a whole Dr Suess book - Wacky Wednesday- yesterday.  And Dr Suess isn't the easiest of books to read.  You even told me how he talks really funny and doesn't always make a lot of sense.  

You reading makes me happy.  But first and foremost, Im proud of your determination.  Your love and passion to learn.  Im not always the typical mom who sits down and reviews flashcards and phonics  [note:  I said not always because sometimes I have those freak out moments when I frantically try to catch you up to the standards].  So because of my somewhat laid back approach, it really truly amazes me when I see the payoff.  When I see the magic in your eyes when you've decided you want to learn something, put your mind to it, and get it done.  Just like you have with reading.

You were so so proud when you finished the book yesterday and my heart just burst with love for you. I hope and pray you take that drive and apply it to many aspects in your life.

Ill leave it to Dr Suess to finish this letter up...

I know you'll go to great places inshaAllah,

Keep it up!

Momma is so proud of you.

Love and duas,

Always and forever,

Momma

Library Card

Have I ever mentioned how happy I am to have libraries in our lives again?!

Yusuf recently got his own library card, which was very exciting for him.

Libraries are usually pretty good with giving kids card out so if you're okay with making sure you can keep track of both yours and your kids' books so the late fees don't add up, (a challenge for me!)  then by all means, try getting them their own.  Its a great way to encourage love for literacy.

Poor Ibby doesn't have one of his own yet.  But honestly the thought of keeping track of three cards kinda scares me.  And he hasn't asked yet.  So, well just leave it as is for now.  Poor Ibby... Sorry baby, I love you.  I probably wont blog about the day you get your first library card, but I promise, it will be just as special.  <3