Being Able to Homeschool is a Favor from Allah

These last couple of weeks we took a trip to visit a friend whose husband recently passed away. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon. Verily to Allah we belong and to Him we will return.

Like me she has 3 very young kids, and she has been a homemaker eversince her first child was born. But now Mommy has to be Daddy too and insha-Allah she will begin her new job soon. Her younger kids will be sent to a Muslim runned daycare while the oldest one will enter an Islamic school bi ithnillah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make it easy for her and her family. Ameen.

Looking at her situation made me realize the great favor that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has blessed me with, and which I have taken for granted all these years…that He has given me a husband who is healthy and fit and is able to provide for us so that I can be a full-time mom and homeschool my kids.

You know homeschooling in itself can be trying at times and one of the most hardest experience I’ve had was to homeschool and attend to a nursing baby at the same time. Alhamdulillah, my son is fully weaned now and those days seem far away, yet when I really think about it, if given a choice I would willingly go through that all over again rather than go out and work. Yes, it’s true that just the mere thought of not being able to be home with my kids is enough to make me feel all queasy inside!

And Alhamdulillah, I am so grateful that I do have a choice and I chose to be a stay at home Mom. What I really need to understand is that if Allah wills, it could easily be that I do not have a choice but to work. O Allah please help me to remember this and be grateful to you for your favors. Ameen.

Sometime ago I remember reading a very beautiful piece of naseeha from Tea & A Think:

“As one du`aa goes (received by email one day):

Allah, I thank Thee for this sink of dirty dishes… we have plenty of food to eat.

I thank Thee for this pile of dirty, stinky, laundry… we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.

And I would like to thank Thee, for those unmade beds in there. They were so comfortable last night. I know many have no bed.

My thanks to Thee, Allah, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mirrors, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory… they are so convenient.

I thank Thee for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly. It has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals.

I thank Thee Allah, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today… it has baked so many things over the years.

The whole family is grateful for all that tall grass that needs mowing, the lawn that needs raking… we all enjoy the yard.

I thank Thee Allah, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play.

Alhamdulillah.

Allah, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says Thou has richly blessed my family. I shall do them all cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully, In sha Allah.”

Even though the du’a is specifically about being thankful to Allah for having household chores (which I do not particularly look forward to) and looking at them from a different angle and actually appreciating them, I think we can change it to accomodate any circumstance in our lives…

In my case for example;

O Allah I thank you for all the whining and squabbling from my kids that I hear on a daily basis…alhamdulillah I have kids and am able to be home with them and enjoy their company.

O Allah I thank you for all the trials and tests I’ve had to deal with in homeschooling…alhamdulillah my kids do not have to attend public school.

O Allah I thank you for all the times I wish my husband wasn’t so busy with his work and studies so he would have more time to spend with us…alhamdulillah we have enough money so that I do not have to go out and share the burden of providing for the family.

Shukoor Alhamdulillah. All praise and thanks be to the Lord of all the Worlds.

A New Home, A New School and A New Beginning…

Alhamdulillah we have safely moved into our new home. The children have adjusted to the move much better than I expected. Most likely it’s because they get to play outdoors almost everyday. Since we  share a common backyard with our neighbours they have more than enough space to play, cycle and use up their bundles of energy and if that’s not enough we can always head for the playgrounds nearby or take nature walks.

And insha-Allah my eldest daughter, soon to turn 6 (although she likes to stress that she’s already 6 according to the Islamic calendar) will be starting 1st grade this fall via a virtual school using the K12 curriculum. After having homeschooled her on a informal basis for the last 3 years or so, I am a bit apprehensive about being answerable to someone else other than myself (smiles). But Alhamdulillah I have made istikharah and if it is good for us then insha-Allah Allah will make it easy for us.

Since school doesn’t start till August 29th, I guess I better enjoy these less stressful times and at the same time prepare myself mentally for the challenges ahead.

In a recent phone interview with her placement teacher, I was given an idea of what our daily schedule would be like. The placement teacher casually mentioned that my daughter would be required to clock in a total of 5 hours of school a day. I gulped and thought to myself, surely she can’t be serious!? Honestly I don’t believe she needs 5 hours of school per day but then again that’s just my opinion. It’s funny how in our “informal” homeschool there have been days when we would be working on our lapbooks or some crafts or reading stories of the prophets well nigh into the night, thus easily clocking far beyond 5 hours of “school” but since that was done on “our time” and liking it was OK. But when literally “forced” to do 5 hours and it’s a whole different story, isn’t it?

Insha-Allah I hope “school” doesn’t become a chore for us but for now I have run out of steam to continue making our own lessons, so this will have to do.

Hence, one of the reasons I’ve decided to come up with this blog is to keep a recording of our homeschool trials and tribulations…and insha-Allah achievements and joys. (smiles)

PS. This was written last summer and alhamdulillah we have successfully completed 2 semesters of the online school. We are taking a well deserved summer break now (breathes sigh of relief!) and bi ithnillah I plan to write my thoughts on our homeschooling experience thus far. So keep a lookout for that, insha-Allah.

Our Humble Beginnings

There are some moms who will tell you that they always knew they were going to homeschool their children. Maybe before their children were even conceived!

Well, I am definitely not one of those moms. Although I did promise myself that I would never, ever send my kids to secular, public schools. Alhamdulillah I was fortunate to marry someone who shares my views.

I had it all planned out. My kids were gong to attend Islamic schools, insha-Allah. I even had a particular school picked out for the girls. (chuckle)

But Allah, the Best of Planners had a different plan for me. When my first-born was 3, we moved to a small town, with baby No.2 in tow. And of course there were no Islamic schools in that small town.

It dawned on me that there was a big possibility that I might have to homeschool my child. All this while homeschooling was just another idea floating in my head, of which I hadn’t fully explored yet. With much dread and reluctance, I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable.

The way I see it, I just had no choice but to homeschool. It was either that or public school and the latter was definitely not an option in our case.

So that’s realy how it all began for me. I simply had no choice.

Another homeschooling mom I know shared an interesting take on homeschooling. She likened it to breasfeeding.

Mothers who deliberately choose not to breastfeed their babies won’t be able to understand why someone would willingly choose to breastfeed theirs. I suppose they see it as a chore and a hardship on their part. Yes, I can assure you that every woman who’s breastfed her child can testify that it’s not all warm and fuzzy like most lactation consultants would have you believe. Yes, it is a hardship. But it is a hardship that we are willing to bear, because it is only through experiencing that hardship that you get to experience the joy of breastfeeding; the special bond that develops between you and your child.

And especially in the light of Islam, I mean you’re really left with no choice (smiles) :-

 

And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years, give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination. (Surah Luqman:14)

And that’s how our homeschooling journey began. We’ve certainly seen our fair share of bumps and rocks along the way. But then again, nothing truly valuable and wondrous comes easily. I mean, just think about jannah…