Muslim Homeschoolers’ Curriculum Fair

This is where we spent our Saturday morning - at the Muslim Homeschoolers’ Curriculum Fair at Al Qudwah Academy. We had a booth to showcase our curriculum on Al Ghazali Book of Knowledge for Kids, Hadith copywork based on Content of Character and Mukhtar al Hadith, and lapbooks for various subjects. I’m sad we couldn’t stay on to listen to the talks by fellow homeschooling parents and kids as we had to zoom off to my cousin’s wedding. I hope my sharing had been beneficial for those whom I had interacted with. I know I was blown away and benefitted a lot from the other ladies and their booths. Bismillahi MasyaAllah.

On Sunday night, while listing out the crazy things I had done during the week to figure out why I felt so tired, my husband quipped that that’s the kind of thing I should have shared at the Curriculum Fair, instead of glossing it over and telling only the good stuff. Haha! I told him if I were to do that, no one would want to homeschool. It’s a little bit like giving birth or raising kids. I’m sure you had wished at some point someone would have told you earlier that it would be so painful on many different levels. But still, you’ve survived it or still surviving. Alhamdulillah. Homeschooling is much the same. Just do it then learn to survive with lots of tawakkul.

Adventure Playground @ Jacob Ballas

I had wanted to go to Botanic Gardens but we ended up at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden instead. We love the new additions to the garden but this tree house is, as they say, an oldie but a goodie. We had the tree house all to ourselves. Alhamdulillah. With an overcast sky and the sounds of chirping birds and gushing water in the background, it felt kinda surreal, like we were in our own world. MasyaAllah.

When Ustazah Umm Muhammad was in town recently, she reminded us the importance of forest bathing and grounding for children. She couldn’t have been more right. It’s important for adults too. It’s what our teachers prescribe for healthy children inshaa Allah. I went home with so much joy and lightness in my well-being. Alhamdulillah. Allah ﷻ knew that I needed that quiet contemplation in nature.

We then went to the pond at Jacob Ballas and had the blessed opportunity of meeting a white-breasted water hen and a pair of terrapins. After observing them for quite a while, they came close to us as we kept really still and quiet. Thank you for coming up to meet us! Alhamdulillah!

After stopping at the tree house, nature playgarden, pond and waterfall, we stopped at a map to figure out where to go next (and to impart some map-reading skills to the girls). Big A said that she wanted to go to the flying fox which was at the other end of the garden. I supposed this was the new extension to the garden and we had not been there before.

We walked along a bridge from Jacob Ballas that brought us over the carpark at the entrance. Then we walked further and found an adventure playground tucked amidst the trees and it was totally empty! Little A had rushed ahead to follow her sister and so I hitched up my abaya (eternally grateful for pants) and followed along. At one point while crossing the swaying bridge, Little A said to me, “Mummy, you are too big for the bridge.” Thanks, Little A.

They tried everything there and found most delight in the flying fox. They squealed happily each time they hit the spring at the end of the line which would throw them high up into the air before they go zipping back down the line. MasyaAllah such pure joy. We will be back inshaa Allah!

Every Small Deed Counts

Just earlier in the day during our session of the Al Ghazali Kids’ Club, the children learnt the Hadith in which Rasulullah ‎ﷺ said: “The deeds most loved by Allah ﷻ (are those) done regularly, even if they are small. [Bukhari and Muslim]

I asked the children what small deeds they could do regularly. They said they could help to wash the dishes, sweep the floor, hold the lift door for others, smile more, and feed the stray cats.

Later that night, their intention to feed the stray cats was realised when they found Dino the Cat with an overturned water bowl. Dino was so thirty after his meal that he wanted to drink from their bottle! So they poured their water into Dino’s bowl and he lapped it up thirstily, much to the girls’ delight.

Thank you Allah ﷻ for giving the girls their wish. May they persevere in carrying out their small deeds to gain Your Pleasure. Aameen.