Book Review: Learning to Listen, Learning to care - A workbook to Help Kids learn Self-Control & Empathy

We have been using this book "Learning to Listen, Learning to care" by Lawrence E. Shapiro, as a family to help better ourselves. It is a great Character building book. Initially, I purchased it for the kids, interesting now we have a family session where kids and I sit together and go over one question or one whole activity, then together right our responses. 

It ends up being a great writing and literacy session. This author has a series of similar books that covers many different topics on character building and helping children be better human beings. I highly recommend this book, especially for boys who are not too keen about discuss their emotions. We don't write in the book we answer the question in our personal diaries.

Here is a sample Activity lesson to give you an idea. 

Activity 7 - page 1

Activity 7 - page 2

Actvity 7 - page 3

Book Review: The Content of Character Copybook Ethical Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad

Sandala.org just came out with their new edition

"The Content of the Character" is a Hadeeth (sayings of Muhammad peace and blessing be upon him) compilation which is translated by Shaykh Hamza. It is phenomenal in many ways, its a book children can use to memorize, read and write Hadeeth in arabic and english that will help shape thier character, inshaAllah. The best part is that not just the kids but even I have benefitted very much  from the book by using it as calligraphy practice. This book is also a part of Kinza Academy Curriculum (now known as Education Revisited) by Elizabeth Hanson. 

The only thing I would like different in their future editions would be, if they could use a different and more child friendly binding, to make the book easier to use.

Sample from inside the book

We don't write inside the book we use separate paper to write on, so we can use the book in the future. I love this because we can sit together and take one hadeeth per week or two and actually focus on memorizing, sing it, writing it and most of all encourage each other to put the knowledge into action.

Book Reveiw: I Think, I Am!

Louise Hay is the author of the international bestseller "You can heal yourself" and also New York Times bestseller for "Heal your body". She also has a work book that goes with "You can heal yourself" called  "Love yourself and heal yourself" which has proven to help many people. She is known for her work on encouraging people to change their thoughts to positive and more affirming thoughts, despite of what they have heard about themselves.

"I think, I am" is a kids version book of her other works. It teaches children the power of Affirmation. With the help of fun illustrations and simple words children can learn how to change negative thoughts to positive affirmations. If children learn this skill of positive self talk, they can live a more fulfilling life inshaAllah.

We paired this book up with her "The Affirmation coloring book" and "Inspirational". I have always felt art to be very therapeutic just like writing. Coloring books like these have very soothing and calming affects on a person. Zentangle is a form of art that has been used to help people focus and relive stress.

Some of our completed works

This is one of those book we should have in our home libraries. Also be shore to check out Louise Hay's website.

Book Review - Have you filled a bucket today?

I simply love this book!  It is one of those classic books every family should have in their home library.

It encourages positive behaviour,  passion and empathy in a very child friendly manner. Even our 2 year old talks about his "bucket".  The language is very simple for children to comprehend and remember.

I feel we tend to neglect building emotional intelligence our children. Often a subject easily ignored. This is a wonderful  book to start of with.

It has a few other sister books you can also look into.

Time to fill your bucket! 

Book Review: Ramadan books

Here we go... And InshaAllah hoping to stay. 

We are always looking for good Ramadan books. I want to share some Ramadan titles we are planning on reading this Ramadan.  The best part about them is they cost $0! I had put them on hold at  our local library. Alhumdulilah we got them a few days before Ramadan.  We try to make use of the resources we have, they help us stay more frugal!  

Book Review - Letters, the alphabet in the natural world

Letters is a wonderful book with amazing really illustrations that chidlren of all ages (including parents) find very fascinating. We've had many different alphabet books for both our children but this eyelike book is just so unique in many ways.

Some amazing things you will find in all their books are:

1. Colorful yet very subtle and cooling color choice.
2. Photos and graphics are very natural and eye catching that even we enjoy the illustration. 
3. Picture selection is very unique and rarely seen in other books. It so simple and the pages are not overcrowded or confusing for a child tiny mind.
4. Helps increase your and your children's vocabulary and knowledge.
5. The verses have a touch of humor and relates the pictures to each other in a very creative manner...it make the child think outside the box. 

Take a peek into this wonderful book. 

Check out more of their books here.

Book review: The Book of Ibns

We have been reading "The book of Ibns" with AR. He seems to be really enjoying it. The book talks about some of the most amazing sons of Islam and how the served this beautiful religion. Each story is at average 2 to 3 pages long. At the end of each story there are 10 questions. For AR they are a bit advanced, so we either skip them or if he wants we go over the easy ones. 

We found it to be a great book. I think its a great gift to give to all special Ibn's in our lives.

*Ibns* - means sons in the Arabic language

Book Review: Raising Baby Green

This is a wonderful book that all parents should have a or at least take a look at. It carries a wealth of information about pregnancy and early childhood. It has tips on how to keep your child away and protected from harmful chemicals, how to protect our families and planet (that Allah has given to us a blessing, test, and a trust). It has 300 best green baby products for you to chose from. It can be challenging to change our entire lifestyle at once so start with baby steps. As it is from the teachings of Islam as well to take things gradually and do what suits you and your family best, and the rest leave on Allah SWT.

Dr. Alan Greene was on parents.tv where he shared some easy and also cheap alternatives to conventional medicine for our little ones. We use and have used some of these remedies for our family, and all of us have benefited from them, big and small.  

Please email me at rawdahs@gmail.com if you would like to have a copy of "Raising Baby green"  I would love to share with you the benefit of this book :).

Book review: Priddy Books

My favorite toddler picture books. 

We bought these for $2 when AR was 2, from Buffalo, USA. Both our kids simply love reading them or just looking at the pictures. I have also labeled some of the pictures in Arabic this way they get to increase their Arabic vocabulary. This can be easily done to any picture book with a permanent marker.

The best part about Priddy books publication is they are very green about their products. They use 40% recycled paper, they use fewer chemicals and toxins, resulting in less pollution in the environment. Their is soy based not petroleum based, which means easy recycling process and safer for children.are very kids appropriate. They use sturdy books, and are made from recycled materials (mostly).

Click here to check out their other products.

Book Review:The Gift of Jummah

InshaAllah from now on we will be adding this book to our Jummah checklist. "The Gift of Jummah" is a very well written book by "Shazia Nazalee", who has also the author of "Little Explorer" Magazines click here to see their website. My friend is a distributor in Canada for the LE Magazines, mashaAllah she is done a great job. You can also check out her blog Aasiya's Homeschool.

May Allah accept all of our efforts to please Him and live our life according to The Quran and Sunnah.
Ameen