Ways to make your Eid celebrations more Eco- friendly!

I want to make Eid a time that my children remember fondly and a time for making memories. It is a celebration, but I want to be conscious of my choices and to try to create minimal waste. So, these are the things that I recommend for having a great celebration while thinking of the environment.

1.      Make your own decorations using recycled goods you already have or invest in some reusable décor that will last years and are NOT single use.  I know that my children enjoy making decorations and hanging them up around the house. It adds to the excitement on the run up to Eid – these are memories in themselves.

These are some that we have been busy creating…

2.      Use crockery and cutlery you already have and do not buy disposable.

 A lot of disposable plates and cutlery are not recyclable and the ones that are, if not cleaned properly become contaminated and cannot be recycled.

Invest in some stainless-steel straws! This is a link to some we got

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QC1M9H1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3.      Don’t be excessive with food and drink. Try to plan ahead and do an Eid Menu to avoid over cooking.

 “Eat and drink but do not be excessive (i.e. do not go beyond bounds).” (Al-A’rāf: 31)

It may be tempting to cook an extra course out of fear of leaving potential guests hungry but be mindful about the amount of food you prepare.

Food waste is a big problem to the environment, one third of all food produced globally is wasted every year, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

If you are eating out, refuse single use plastic such as straws.

4.      Make party entertainment using things you have. Also write a list of potential party games that are enjoyed by the family. The list for games is endless. Apps such a pinterest have great ideas.

5.      Be mindful when buying presents and think about how they are wrapped.    

                               Is there a more sustainable option?

          Can you make a gift? Home made cakes, cookie mix in a reusable jar, chocolate apple slices, – so many ideas on pinterest.

My children were gifted these sweets in a glass cup with lid. They have been able to use the glass after they finished the sweets.   

  

Buy second hand when appropriate – electronics etc.     

Is giving an experience over material items an option? 

My parents for Eid always treat the children to a lovey day out and it is something they look forward to every Eid and have great memories of.   

 Avoid wrapping paper that has a shine – it is not recyclable! – Use recycled brown paper or reuse an old gift bag.

These are just a few little ways that you can make a difference.

I pray you have a blessed and joyous Eid with your family and friends.

Eid Mubarak 

Making a bug hotel

We have a small garden, but we wanted to make a bug hotel so after some looking we came across this smaller one using tins. This is the tutorial:  https://youtu.be/DcKFVmvGK_k

I decided to task my dad to making it with the children when we went to visit last week. Memories with their Grandad they will have forever ♡

We saved up used tins and had the wood lying around.

We collected some pine-cones, moss, twigs, bark and bits and bobs from our nature walks to fill the tins with.

The children learnt so much creating this with my Dad. He is a retired self-employed builder and some of the houses and things he built over the years are great so they are learning from the best.

Cutting the wood for the frame

   

The final product and we already have a couple bugs in it!

   

Do we expect too much too young from children?

Do we expect too much too young from children?

Do children need a formal education before the age of 7?

Why is play not seen as important for development any more?

In England and Wales formal education begins at 4 years old. Children are sent to full-time school and it is becoming more formal. Numeracy and literacy are being taught, assessments are normal and there are boxes that need to be checked.  Is this really needed for children to succeed academically - of course not and I would argue it does more emotional and social damage in the long run. Is the school system expecting too much too soon?

In many nations (such as Finland) who surpass the UK in educational outcomes such as PISA tests*, children do not start school until the year of their 7th birthday - no sitting at desks doing formal work. Before the age of 7 children may attend a kindergarten, but this is for play (and of course that is serious work for children with endless learning opportunities). Finland has one of the world’s highest literacy rates in the world which suggests that starting later does not negatively affect children’s outcomes.

Why is it that play is not seen as work? There are many benefits of children playing. They are not meant to sit still and need to be physically active. Children are creative, inquisitive explorers who are learning from the time they wake until the time they sleep. Play involves literacy and numeracy (just not in the formal ways), it involves creativity and social skills.

I taught a reception class (4-5 year old children) for 2 years and have had 3 of my children go through the school system foundation phase (From ages 4-7 years). The main observations that I gained from this is that children love to learn and explore but do not like sitting still on carpets or at desks doing worksheets. As a teacher following the national curriculum, I did not have much agency over what I taught. There were targets that children were expected to hit before moving to Year one at age 5 and it was expected of me to produce books of evidence showing the children’s work. Teachers in the UK have little flexibility in what and how they teach.

I started home-schooling when my 4^th child was meant to start school. As a former teacher I was worried that she would not read or become 'behind' if I followed her lead however I trusted her and did not force her to sit and read or do endless phonics worksheets. Rather we read together, played, painted and explored. She did not have an interest for reading herself until the age of 6, by age 6.5 years she was reading and had better phonetic awareness and spelling than her older brother who was both reading at 5 years old. For him and my other children who went through the foundation stage at school, reading is a chore. I am working on undoing this and creating a love of literature. 

Studies have shown that children who start reading later have a more positive attitude towards books and reading than those who start at 4 -5 years. It is really concerning when you hear about rising stress levels and mental health complaints in young children – they do not need pressure at such young ages. Also, things such as bones in hands are still developing up to the age of 7. It would explain a reluctance to write for younger children – it doesn’t feel comfortable for them. There is often a dramatic improvement in handwriting around the age of 8. There are many ways to develop fine motor skills through play.

I believe that children under the age of 7 years should be learning through play. Early childhood is about nurturing the child, allowing them to become happy, confident, social individuals. Play is the building blocks for a more formal education when they are ready. The systems around the world that start later show no negative effects and many positive outcomes. Society in general has changed to a point that play opportunities in general are at a all time low and more time is spent inside, in front of screens or at desks. This is not only affecting the nature of the children but is having a negative affect on their mental health which is really concerning and needs to be addressed.

Let them play! 

Let them be outdoors!

*The PISA-based Test for Schools is a voluntary assessment intended to help school leaders from across the world understand their 15-year old students' abilities to think critically and apply their knowledge creatively in novel contexts.

Promoting Children’s Agency in Education and Learning

  The United Nations state:

‘Children have the right to be active participants in all aspects in their life’

Children’s education is usually decided for them by adults – schools, government and parents. What they learn, when they learn it and how they learn it. The assumption that comes from this is that children are incapable of making decisions about their own learning.  Many educational settings take away so many choices from children; what they learn, how long they can spend on a subject, when they eat and who they work alongside to name a few. A balance of adult power and direction should be closely monitored. Pedagogical and institutional practices can either enable or constrain children’s agency (Smith 2016).

The reality is that children have a natural disposition for learning and are active. Allowing children to make choices and have agency over their learning has multiple benefits.

v  Will let the child learn in a way that suits them best. (Visually, auditorily, kinetically, writing/reading). This will increase what knowledge and information is remembered and absorbed.

v  Will let them follow interests.

v  It will encourage decision making and conflict management

v  It encourages positive risk taking

v  Let’s them follow their body rhythms

How can we support children’s agency in their learning?

v  Create an environment that has choices and allows the child to decide in what they participate in.

v  Promote positive risk taking (allow them to climb that tree!!!)

v  Have a flexible routine – nothing can be more frustrating than just getting into something only to be told you can’t continue and must move on to a different subject or activity.

v  Be co-constructors in their learning – be guided by them, their interests and listen to their ideas.

v  Ask questions that encourage the child to lead their own learning

Supporting children’s agency recognises that the child is capable of leading and initiating their own learning.

Surah Al-Kahf Worksheet

The prophet  ﷺ said:

“Whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470)' 

Feel free to download PDF and print.

The best days of the Year – The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah

Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allahﷺ said,

“There are no days during which the righteous action is so pleasing to Allah than these days (i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).”

He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah?”

He ﷺ replied,

“Not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah, except in case one goes forth with his life and his property and does not return with either of it.”

[Al-Bukhari].

Hajj

Hajj is one of the 5 pillars that Islam is built upon and that is obligatory for Muslims that can afford it.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e., denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allah], then Allah stands not in need of any of the `Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (3:97)

Below is the link for a Hajj guide by Abu Khadeejah which can be downloaded and printed.

http://www.abukhadeejah.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Hajj-and-Umrah-Guide-Book-2014.pdf

What can we do in the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

·        Strive with Dhikr – (remembrance of Allah)

·        Read Qur’an

·        Give in charity

·        Do good deeds

·        Fast the first 9 days especially the 9^th Dhul Hijjah which is Day of Arafat – (the 10^th is Eid al Adha)

·        Teach our children the virtues of these blessed days and encourage them to strive along with you and older children to fast if able to.

·      Teach your children the story of the event in the life of Ibrahim (alaihis-salaam) when Allah revealed to him in a dream that he sacrificed his son. The story can be found in the Quran 37:102-107. After Ibrahim showed that he was willing to make this sacrifice, Allah provided an animal to be sacrificed instead. 

·        Teach your children about the well of Zam Zam.

·        If you have a friend or relative who has completed Hajj, get them to describe their experience

       Look at a map of Hajj and the different sites where rituals take place.

Day of Arafat

Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for two years:

The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of ’Arafah, it is on this day that the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of ’Arafah, praying and supplicating to their Lord.

It is mustahabb (highly recommended) for those who a not pilgrims to fast on this day, since the Prophet ﷺ was asked about fasting on the day of ’Arafah, so he said,

“It expiates the sins (Minor) of the past year and the coming year.” [Muslim (no. 1162)].

There is no days which Allah saves more slaves from the fire that day and Allah draws nearer to the lowest heaven.

The Prophet ﷺ said

 ‘There is no day on which Allah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of ’Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on ’Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying, ‘What are these people seeking.” [Jaami’ut-Tirmidhee (3/377)]

From the above hadith – it is said that Allah asks his angels what the people are seeking. Allah knows what they are seeking and that they want forgiveness, Jannah and saving from the fire.

Allah then calls upon his angels;

‘Bear witness for I have forgiven them’.

The best thing to say on the day of Arafat

‘The best supplication is the supplication of the day of ‘Arafat and the best thing which I and the Prophets before me have said is:

 لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل قدير

‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah Alone, He has no partner and to Him belongs the Dominion. To Him belongs the praise and He is capable/has power over all things.’

La ilaha ‘illa Allaahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadeer

(Narrated by tirmidhee in Sunan from the hadeeth of Abdullah bin Amr. It was graded hasan by the ‘Allama al-Albani in silsilah as-Saheehah nad he said: ‘the hadeeth is Thabit due to the collection of supporting evidences.’)

  

Eid al Adha -  ‘Eid is a day of joy and allowance given to us by Allah.

Eid Al-Adha is four days in total:

The 10^th (the day of Eid prayer)

 then the days of tashreeq (the 11^th , 12^th   and 13^th  days of Dhul-Hijjah).

It is impermissible to fast in these days for those not performing the Hajj.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The days of Tashreeq are days for eating drinking and remembering Allah عز و جل” 

(narrated by Abi al-Maleeh رضي الله عنه, reported in Sahih Al-Muslim).

 Allah سبحان و تعالى said: "And remember Allah during the appointed Days." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 203).

May Allah grant us the opportunity and means to perform Hajj and accept our deeds. Ameen

The Story of our Little Caterpillars

One cloudy Thursday morning in Wales, there was a knock on my door and the postman delivered us a box of 5 little hungry caterpillars.

Inside the jar, the little caterpillars ate and ate and ate and we watched on with excitement as they grew bigger and bigger.  

Now they were not hungry anymore and the wasn't little. They were big fat caterpillars!!

After about 7 days they became chrysalides!! 3 hung to the top of the jar and 2 were on the floor.

We waited a few more days for the chrysalides to harden and then transferred them to their new mesh enclosure. 

Now it was a bit of a waiting game. 

After about 4 days, the first of our 5 emerged from the chrysalide as a beautiful painted lady butterfly.

We gave it some sugar water and a slice of watermelon while we waited for the other 4 to emerge.

After 24 hours, 3 more of the butterflies had emerged! We were just waiting on the final chrysalide. It emerged the following morning. 

Today was the day that we were going to release the butterflies into the wild. We took when to one of our favourite meadows with lots of wild flowers in. 

We opened the enclosure and one by one the butterflies flew out into their new home. They stayed close to begin with; that is how we got this lovely picture.

The set was from: www.insectlore.co.uk  

We loved watching the tiny caterpillars grow, become chrysalides and emerge as beautiful butterflies. The children would wake up every morning and check on them.