Monday 22 September 2008

Islamic Greeting Card

How to raise smart children

www.wikihow.com

A child's brain growth comes from experience and the exercise the brain receives. Sight, sound, touch, taste and smell stimulate the brain's cell connections (called synapses) and create trillions more. The more complex these interconnections, the smarter your child will be. When you provide your child with early stimulation and a wide range of experiences, you can accelerate his brain development.

1. Interact with your child. Scientists have observed that babies who were not cuddled, played with and loved have stunted brain growth. They also observed that babies who were not held and did not receive attention failed to grow, became depressed, and eventually died. On the other hand, many studies have shown that hugging, interacting and playing with your child has a strong effect on developing his intelligence. The loving connection formed between you and your child and your one-on-one interaction with him provide the foundation for his higher thinking skills.
2. Talk to your child. Also, listen to your child when he’s talking. This reinforces his effort to communicate and develops his facility for language. You may also read books to your child. Start reading to him even if he does not understand the words. This gives him a head start in developing language skills. Children who are read to when young are more likely to develop a lifelong interest in reading, do well in school, and succeed in adult life. Reading books is one of the most important activities that make children smart.

3. Let your child play – When your child plays, he is creating the foundation for his intellectual, social, physical and emotional skills. When he plays with other children, he learns to combine ideas, impressions and feelings with others.

4. Encourage your child to exercise - Physical exercise does not only make your child strong, but it also makes your child smart! Exercise increases the flow of blood to the brain and builds new brain cells. Exercise is good for adults' mental sharpness, but it has a more long-lasting effect on your child's developing brain.

5. Make music a part of your child’s life – Studies have shown that listening to music can boost memory, attention, motivation and learning. It can also lower stress that is destructive to your child's brain. Learning to play a musical instrument has an effect on the brain’s proportional thinking and spatial temporal reasoning that lay the foundation for abstract math. If possible, start with the piano. After learning to read music and play up to 10 notes at a time, it will be much easier for them to learn any of the other instruments. But starting them with music young--no matter what the instrument--is the important thing.

6. Let your child witness you doing smart things - Children learn by modeling adult’s behavior. If he sees you engaged in reading books, writing, making music, or doing creative things, he will imitate you, and in the process make himself smart.

7. Let your child play smart computer games - The best computer games teach your child about letters, math, music, phonics and many others. It also develops his hand-eye coordination and prepares him for tomorrow’s technology. More importantly, he learns these while he plays. Learning and having fun at the same time is the best way for your child to learn.

8. Feed your child properly - Giving the right food is important to raise a smart child. A protein-rich diet (egg, fish, meat, beans, peanuts, etc.) improves his attention, alertness, and thinking. Carbohydrates give his brain the fuel that is used in thinking. The best ones are those that come from whole grain and fruits. Processed carbohydrates and sugar have bad effects on attention span, focusing ability, and activity level. Vitamins and minerals are also important.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

EDUCATING YOUR CHILDREN IN RAMADHAN

Children (who did not reach puberty) are not commanded to fast. However, their parents or guardians are strongly recommended to encourage them to fast few days so that they get used to it and they grow up knowing of the worship of fasting as they would know that of praying. In fact this was the practise of the first women of Islam who were living around the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. An example of that is ar-Rubayya' bint Mu'awiyyah who reported that: "The Messenger of Allah,salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, sent a man on the morning of the day of 'Ashurah, to the residences of the Ansar, saying: 'Whoever has spent the morning fasting is to complete his fast. Whoever has not spent this morning fasting should voluntary fast for the remainder of the day.' We fasted after that announcement, as did our young children. We would go to the mosque and make toys stuffed with cotton for them to play with. If one of them started crying due to hunger, we would give them a toy to play with until it was time to eat." [al-Bukhari and Muslim.]

Dear sister remember that among the seven that Allah will shade under His shade onthe Day of Judgement is a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah. Therefore let your children be one of these.

There are many ways to educate your children about Ramadan, the best and most important of which is to set the good example by fasting properly and behaving according to the Prophetic teachings. This is what your children will take from you first. When you are fulfilling this you can very easily [and they will accept it and practise it easilly as well] teach them what you want. Here are few tips that you can use with your children [you can think of others as well]:
Depending on their age encourage them to fast a number of days upto every other day or more for those who are almost at the age of puberty. For those who are still young let them fast a day or two and praise them in front of friends and relatives for their achivement.
Let your children go with their father to the Masjid for Maghrib prayer and break the fast with the larger Muslim community to make them feel the gretness of fasting and the unity of Muslims in worshipping Allah.

- If your children cannot fast let them eat with you at the time of Maghrib and teach them that you are breaking the fast even if they ate before.
- Teach your children the supplication of breaking the fast.
- Take your children to the Taraweeh prayer so that they get used it and know about it from their early age. They may sit or stay in the back of the prayer room if they get tired.
- Teach them to give charity. Do it in front of them and tell them you are doing it because the reward increases in Ramadan.
- Teach them to recite Qur'an regularily and inform them that the Prophet (S) used to do that in Ramadan.
- Correct them if they behave wrongly or say unaccaptable words and remind them that they are fasting ot they are in Ramadan and this may alter their reward.
- Wake them up for Suhoor [even if they don't fast] and Fajr prayer.
- Teach them to feed the people fasting and tell them about the reward for that.
- Dress them in the best clothes, give them a bath and take them with you to the Eid Prayer.
- Teach them that this is our feast and celebration and that christmas, easter, thanksgiving and other holidays are not ours. Stress the distinction.

and remember that the Prophet salla allahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"One who is given the responsibility of the bringing up of daughters and treats them well will be a shield for him from Hell. [Bukhari and Muslim]

PG/ TK ISLAM SMART BEE - Children Education

My photo
Based on Islamic system. We commit to be partner for parents to provide educated play ground for their beloved children. Contact us: Jl.Danau Maninjau Raya No.221, Ph 62-21-7712280/99484811 cp. SARI DEWI NURPRATIWI, S.Pd