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10 Things to Do With/For Your Muslim Child Everyday
Umm Ibrahim Bint Milton
March 2007
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The following is a “top ten” list that I have made for myself that captures (for me) the most important things that I would want to accomplish everyday. Of course, I don't usually do everything everyday, but it was meant to be a reminder for the things I would like to accomplish. I thought it might be helpful for others. The list is in no particular order.
1. Read to Child(ren) daily Some benefits of reading to children:
Even when children are older, reading still provides the above benefits, so continue to read to them as long as they show an interest.
Things to read: stories, Quraan, ahadith, articles, newspaper articles
Tip: Be sure to discuss what is read.
2. Have children read
Reading is a skill that, like many other skills, requires practice to “perfect.” Daily reading practice is important!
Things to have your child “read” depending on his/her age level: Letters of the alphabet, words, sentences, paragraphs, stories, ahadith, Quraan
Have child read to you and read by himself
3. Read/Recite/Listen to Quraan
Review Quraan everyday.
4. Practice/Learn Math Skills.
Whether you are a traditional school at home family or unschooler, or anything in between, practice math skills on a daily basis as mastery of basic math skills is important.
r Complete worksheets r Play games r Do a math lesson, r Focus on and take advantage of real math applications through out your day (measuring, estimating, counting, problem solving). Try to find math everywhere!
5. Write
Have children write daily to improve their handwriting as well as learn to express themselves through writing.
Some ideas: r Copywork (child copies letters, numbers, words, sentences, paragraphs) from a variety of sources (books, newspapers, signs, labels, ayaat, ahadith)
r Have child write letters, words, sentences, paragraphs on his own if he is ready.
r Have children help with list making (grocery, etc);
r Have child write friendly or business letters.
6. Learn/review Islam
r Teach children important Islamic concepts in the form of a question/answer and for older children, give proofs. “Who is your Lord? Allah Rabbee. Proof: 1:2. In this way, children can be quizzed on these important concepts very easily on a daily basis.
r Review basic duaas, etiquettes naturally throughout the day: Waking up, going to bed, before eating, after eating, entering/leaving the restroom, giving salaams, sneezing, yawning.
r Review prayer with older children on regular basis if not daily. Make sure they are performing the salaat correctly.
7. Converse
If possible, set aside time to talk with your kids. Over meals is an excellent time if you eat together (highly recommended), you therefore have a captive audience.
If you can’t make the time, then try to be attentive to the conversations that you do have during the day. Make sure that all parties in a conversation: r Maintain eye contact, r Do not interrupt, r Listen attentively, r Respond as appropriate.
In my opinion, children should be lightly corrected when words are mispronounced:
Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “If people were left with their grammatical mistakes, this would be considered a great deficiency and despicable mistake.” (Source: Majmoo' Al Fatawa 32/252)
8. Give/Take Dictation r Dictation can help develop all four language skills (writing, reading, speaking, listening) r Dictation helps to develop short-term memory. Students practice retaining meaningful phrases or whole sentences before writing them down. r Research has shown the learning to write down what you hear can encourage the development of literacy. (Excerpted from “Dictation Updated: Guidelines for Teacher-Training Workshops,” by Ruth Montalvan, US Department of State)
Depending on the child’s level, dictate letters of the alphabet, words, sentences, paragraphs. For tips on using dictation, see; http://exchanges.state.gov/education/engteaching/dictatn.htm
9. Learn/review/speak Arabic
Try to learn/review Arabic each day; whether in formal lessons, or just conversing with each other in Arabic. Arabic is the language of the Quraan and the language of our religion, it is therefore very important. :
Sheikh Uthaymeen:
“From the benefits of learning the Arabic language is correction of the tongue with the Arabic tongue which the speech of Allah was revealed in. Because of this, understanding the Arabic language is extremely important..… (Source: Sharh Al Ajrumiyyah)
10. Monitor Hygiene/Grooming As a homeschooler, I find that this often gets put on the bottom of the list (no pun intended—it’s at the bottom of this list, lol). But it is still very important. It affects our health and can affect us socially.
Take the time to monitor children’s appearance and hygiene: r Using the bathroom, r Taking showers r Brushing teeth r Eating r Brushing hair r Clipping nails r Cleanliness (personal, room, outside (not littering, etc).
From my experience, it is easy to inculcate good hygiene in younger children, than it is to correct bad habits of older children.
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