Way Behind

I'm way behind in posting our daily Ramadan activities, but our staircase now looks merry, ready for Eid.

Last Ramadan, I wasn't able to do anything with them due to incessant vomitting, so this year, I rebounded with the help of Allah, and made sure I make their Ramadan memorable. It's not that easy, with a nursing baby who wakes up at suhoor time.

After Fajr, I had to nurse him and put him back to sleep. Our morning routine goes like this:

1. Suhoor
2. Fajr
3. Individual reading of the Quran, timed
4. Sub'ee (review Juz Amma in a fun way)*
5. Ramadan Crossword Puzzle

We're usually done around 8-9 am, suhoor being at around 5 am.

* I figured that the kids would come to me with long faces were I to review the surahs in a normal way, so with a ball, we did 'Musical Ball' (without the music of course). I would close my eyes, and they would pass the ball around. Baby Z would usually be either nursing, or propped up on my lap watching them with keen interest. Whenever I felt like it I would say

"Stop!" and whoever has the ball would be asked to recite a surah of my choosing. I could usually hear who the ball goes to, so I would sometimes on purpose say "Stop!" when I know the ball is in a particular person's hand. (I think they know this too - smart kids mashaallah)

I started timing their reading of the Quran after realizing that I used to spend about an hour per person, just having them read one page. With the timer, they have motivation to do less dawdling. Alhamdulillah.

Usually, by the time we finish sub' ee, Baby Z would either be fussing, ready to sleep, or already asleep in my arms. When we pray Fajr, he would be up and kicking excitedly. Most times, by the time we're done with sub'ee I am usually tired and distracted by Baby Z's fussing, but so far, only once did I delegate the job of making sure they do the Ramadan Crossword Puzzle activity.

We have less than a week now inshaallah, and so far, I have stuck to my goals for Ramadan, where the Quran and kids are concerned alhamdulillah. May Allah give me strength and patience to continue doing so, for it's really a huge challenge every morning. This perked me up though:

"Ummi, you're nicer in Ramadan," said N.

Either it's because I'm too tired, or I'm free from the evil whispers of the Shaytaan.