I Love Allah (and so does Tasneem!)

I was working on an iBook called "I Love Allah" when Tasneem poked her nose into the gap between my typing thumbs. Don't ask me how she does it, but she always does. After explaining to her, my latest project, she said she wanted to write an "I Love Allah" book too.

So with her very LOUD dictation, I obediently typed:

I love Allah
Because He gave me my eyes
So that I can read and write
He also gave me hands and legs
That I use to play, run and jump
He gave me an idea
To draw and paint my picture
He gave me oxygen
So I can breathe and pray
He gave me taste and smell
So that I can eat and smell flowers

by Tasneem Amelie Nizam

Awww, mashaallah. My little girl has talent. And then she read it back to me. Writing IS reading!

Flying High (with Support)

I know we are barely in the second week of the New Year, but I count my accomplishments as and when they come, no matter how tiny they are. It keeps things in perspective. Dawdling on mishaps used to be my thing, and it did not really help.

Alhamdulillah, homeschooling is going well so far, especially with some better planning. It also helps since the children's attention spans' are lengthening. They can actually sit still for a few minutes at a time and appreciate the effort they put into their work.

I am counting my blessings because I often have to remind myself not to keep second-guessing my progress or the children's. Homeschoolers, like outschoolers, are all unique and develop at their own paces. It's hard enough to not compare ourselves with outschoolers: (Are they (my kids) on the right track? Can they read as many words as so-and so? Are they still allowed to use their fingers when adding?); but it's also hard not to compare with other homeschoolers.

Thank God, the homeschoolers I have met and read have been supportive and keep reminding me (directly and indirectly) that the point of homeschooling is not to test if your child reaches certain stipulated standards, but to raise children who love learning and continue learning without pressure, rather than feeling continuously pushed to be a high-flier. Yes, yes... I remember, and remind me often!

Reading David BC Tan's post here, was the ultimate reminder. Homeschool support rocks! I also found the story of the twins astonishing by the way.

So, I am smiling well into week two of the New Year. So much so, when the kids brough back party streamers from Cousin A's birthday, I blurted, "We could make kites!" What a mistake, especially when the sun had already set and I needed my time to start on a new project.

We had the great battle between the Now-now's and the No-no's. And our kids - with attention spans of mutated goldfish and memories of elephants - reminded me at the crack of dawn that we had to make kites today.

So we made kites. Easy-peasy, fun and easy - but to two Now-now toddlers, it was complete bewilderement. They discovered the joy of running around in circles with a kite, instead of without a kite. I told them one day we will take them to a beach where we can fly real kites, instead of modified A4 papers, held together with satay skewers and cellotape.

But to them, their kites sufficed and they have been flying high ever since.

I kept the party streamers in an empty ice-cream box as part and parcel of our recycling oath. I will remember to use them again, whenever I need another vote of confidence as I have archived in my subconscious that party streamers equals high flying homeschooling support.

Pencil Porcupine

This idea came from Cows & Crayons. We love that show and well, the homeschool becomes a little more bizarre looking after each episode.

Not bad though. At least they know where they keep their colour pencils. And they did it all by themselves too.

Unfortunately the Pencil Porcupine lived a rather short life. I suspect it was due to its removable spikes that were constantly being removed and poked back in. It's a good thing Tasneem keeps track of her artwork with my (her) camera.

Magnetic Mayhem that Makes the Home, Our Home

Every time we end up at a stationery section, the kids flock to the magnets and insist on choosing one. Today was no different, more magnets joined the fray. Check out our magnetic board.

It started when the kids realised a magnet could stick to the stairs banister and they hung up an art piece each. Soon they were scaling the staircase on a daily basis. So we bought the board.

Ever since then, (and believe me, there are MORE magnets behind those layers of art), they have been rotating their artistic expressions on a daily basis. The nice (but tired) ones later go into their colour coded files and the ones that are found on the floor, (and within seconds ripped up by the baby), are discarded.

I think the board and the gazillion magnets managed to tickle their creative nodes and with that came waves and waves of self-appreciation and expression. I LIKE...! (As Yusuff would say heh heh). There is no day that passes without an activity related to magnetic mayhem.

Unlike in school where their artwork would be "judged" and graded, they take pride in every single unique piece they create and subsequently find more than many, that are important enough to put up for show.

Some parents have advised me to move the board into the back room so it does not clutter the living room but others have appreciated the mess they make, and even more so, the art. I like the latter better.

Having their artwork and magnet collection as part and parcel of the living room reminds me of why I homeschool and that my kids are the ones who make this house a home - more importantly, our home.

They are the source of magnetism between these four walls, holding all that is worthwhile in one piece, even if they are screaming on top of their lungs and running in circles trying to strangle each other.

I want them to know that their creativity and expressions are welcomed in our home and are not just clutter and mess that should be relegated to the back room to be kept out of sight. And besides, it's THEIR home, not the home to the critics. Let it be... I LIKE!

Above all, I want them to know that we appreciate their self-appreciation; we love watching them think on their own and build their own personalities. We don't always smile at the mess they leave behind, but we enjoy watching their creativity, and how proud they are of their achievements, no matter hard they are to decipher.

They are not going to be like this forever. Already some of the magnets are missing, broken or just plain forgotten about. The kids are going to change and one day they may forget they ever had an obsession with their magnet collection. Luckily I have this blog to remind them. But no matter how much they outgrow their art exhibition board, I know that they will always be the magnets that hold up the creativity and expression on the walls of our daily lives. Ameen.

Self-Fashion Designing for Teenage Girls

I just had this funky idea for unschooling teenage girls. Inshaallah if I keep this up until 2020, I'll share this idea with Tasneem, and the two of us could do some online shopping and designing.

This store, eShakti, allows shoppers to customise their own clothes. Well, you pick out a garment that catches your fancy and you have the choice of ordering a standard size one (XS to 3XL) or customise it according to your own dimensions. Cool or what? You have to fill in all your measurements, by the way.

Wait, there's more though. You can literally choose to change the neckline, length of tunic and sleeves. Let's say a dress catches your eye, but the length is only to your knees and you want it to sweep the floor. Just, select the option! Or a tunic's high neckline looks uncomfortable - you can change it to a v-neck. Did I mention this site was cool? If all this does not make sense, just click on over.

This way you and your teenage daughter can have shopping fun, while testing out new fashion styles. A young fashion designer may be sitting right next to you.

For Muslim parents... aahhh... I haven't lost my marbles. This is a perfect way to help your girls self-design modest clothes when on the move. Modest, fashionable, good material quality and affordable items are sorely lacking in many markets. This is one way to create your own wadroabe and have fun at the same time. And of course you can customise items for indoor fun too.

Of course, this "fun" includes spending money - as shopping usually does. So, save this for a time that you need to buy new clothes and have a budget for it and throw in an unschooling module on "budgeting for apparel," in addition to unschooling "self-design fashion." Pretty cool, me thinks. Remind me in ten years time.

Scrapbooking for Memories and Milestones

One of my ideas this year is for my kids to start scrapbooking. I would have loved to have done that when young and to be able to look back and sort of connect with what ensued in the past. I googled some scrapbook packages and found Funky Monkey on eBay. Sounds good, will revisit it.

But then I received Alvin and the Chipmunks' journal after purchasing 24 donuts at Big Apple. Pretty awesome. Only now I need to get another one for the other toddler. Tears will ensue if I don't and I don't want to deal with that type of stress. But if I do get my hands on another Alvin and the Chipmunks' journal, those would easily suffice as their scrapbooks for this year.

Anyway, scrapbooking for toddlers, geez... give them colour pencils and get them to write down three words that sums up the day. Tasneem would probably be interested, though her handwriting is gigantic. And Yusuff will only write O's. I plan to coach him a little more to start writing other letters but he's one of those visual learners who sit quietly and observe. He doesn't like practicing, neither does he like praise. Then one fine day, he'll do whatever it was he was watching quietly without any prompting.

And...of course, stickers! Hooray! I love buying stickers for the monsters. Though I wish they would appreciate them more. But that's fine. I'll skip on the embellishments and other fancy scrapbooking decorations (or whatever you call them) but scout around for more stickers than this house can already handle.

So, homeschool writing, creativity, expression, character building and hopefully they will learn a little about dates and months etc. One simple idea, full of homeschooling fun inshaallah.

The best thing about scrapbooking is that it will work for any age group and it keeps valuable memories in tact for those many years later when the kids look back and ask themselves, what was homeschooling really like?