Homeschooling has so many benefits! But despite this, homeschool stress occurs in even the most ideal situations! Balancing home and education has its own unique variety of pitfalls. Yes, it’s completely normal to feel stressed, uncertain and overwhelmed sometimes. But is it possible to eliminate homeschool stress and it’s impact on our children? Let’s talk about it!
In Episode 81 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share how to deal with homeschool stress.
“Salam sister I have a bad habit of overthinking and then getting stressed about almost anything and this is reflecting now on my children as they are being homeschooled and are all the time with me. I have tried very hard to be a good mom set routines trying hard to teach them up to their level and keeping the house clean but my stress levels are always high, I get panicky and angry and I keep telling myself if your children were at school they won’t have to witness me being like this. I love your podcast that’s the only thing that keep me going right now! Lots of love”
Listen to my answer by clicking the play button above!
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Education is compulsory but school is not. Under the 1996 Education Act, parents have a responsibility to provide their children with a suitable education whether at school or otherwise. School does not suit all children or lifestyles. Parents choose home education for a number of reasons, the topmost of which is the desire to give their children a quality, individualised education that will equip them for their adult life in an ever-faster-changing world. This may all change. Parliament is currently debating a proposal for a new education bill. The New Schools Bill will also impose new requirements on Home educating parents. So how will this change your life and why should you be concerned?
In Episode 81 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share why home educators should be concerned about the New Schools Bill.
The changes in the Schools Bill impact England, but not currently Wales and Scotland.
Local authorities must have a register of all children not in school. Every local authority is different and without strict guidelines, there is a risk that LAs will abuse their new powers.
Parents can be fined up to £1000-£2500 for failing to comply with new regulations
Local authorities must now provide support to home educators but no specifics have been given on what this will look like.
Instead of protecting home educators, these changes treat us as a problem that needs to be controlled. Many are concerned about what this will lead to.
No specifics are given on what information will be collected to assess if a “suitable education” is being provided by parents.
The Bill and amendments are currently being discussed in the House of Lords throughout June. Petitions against the Schools Bill by home educators are available to sign nationwide. The easiest way to find it is by searching onFacebook for the New Schools Bill and your consistency name.
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Are you running out of ideas, or have a lack of ideas to begin or challenge your young students? Let us help, we share our favourite homeschooling resources of the year from our Muslim homeschool!
In Episode 80 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share our favourite homeschool resources of the year!
If you would like to see the resources I mention in this homeschooling podcast episode…
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to choose the right subjects for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Sometimes we get in a rut in our homeschools and do not make the changes that are necessary for our children to succeed. It takes courage to make big changes in your homeschool – and generally when you have a nagging feeling that something isn’t right it’s time to make a change. In our Homeschool podcast, you’ll learn how to navigate change in your home by placing yourself at the helm of your homeschool, whilst also trusting in Allah and your instincts.
(Affiliate Links may be included. See Disclaimer for more information.)
In Episode 79 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share how we can manage to navigate change in our homeschool and positively move through transitional phases.
This Homeschool Podcast episode discusses:
Embrace the emotions you and your children feel during these periods of transition. Do not feel shame or guilt for a feeling.
According to the author William Bridges, there are three stages to managing a transition: 1. Letting go, 2. Uncertainty 3. Acceptance
Change is a time when we “remember”. Imam Al-Hadad says that remembrance is, “the pillar of the Path, the key to realization, the weapon of the seekers, and the unfolding of sainthood.” – The Book of Assistance.
Trust that whilst you may not understand it, or want it, Allah has a plan. Don’t hold your plans too tightly. This is not the end, but a new beginning.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am” (Hadith Qudsi 15) Related by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Homeschooling brings its own set of unique challenges. But when life hits you hard, homeschooling is even tougher. When you are having one of those days when everything seems to be falling apart, it’s easy to let the rest of the day go in a downward spiral, some days it’s hard to maintain a sense of hope and gratitude and get back on track to homeschooling better.
In Episode 78 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share how to homeschool better when having a difficult day.
Key Points:
There are times when making something other than homeschooling a priority, is the right thing to do.
And there are times when it’s not!
To determine if you need to take a break, look at your reasons. Do you like them?
Resources Mentioned
Hadith on Waking Up: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “During your sleep, Satan ties three knots at the back of the head of each one of you, and he seals each knot with the following words: ‘The night is long, so keep on sleeping.’ When that person wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; when he makes ablution the second knot is undone; and when he prays, all his knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning active and in good spirits, otherwise he gets up in bad spirits and sluggish.” [Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year. Create a homeschool experience that aligns with your values and beliefs! Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or anywhere else in the world, this programme will help you to give your children an incredible education at home!
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
At one time or another in our home education journey, many of us deal with a well-known doubt in ourselves that we call imposter syndrome. It can come in many forms, and it usually hits you when you’re discouraged, stressed, or on the way to burnout. It’s that constant feeling that you might be doing something wrong when home educating. How do we overcome homeschool Imposter syndrome especially when it is causing unnecessary stress in an already stressful world?
In Episode 77 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share how to change your negative mindset about home education.
Key Points:
The way we speak to ourselves informs the actions we take.
Negative thinking such as, “You don’t know what you’re doing,” “You’re not good enough,” and “Those mums are so much better than you,” causes you to make poor decisions about the education of your children.
Feeling like a fraud leads you to compromise your values and what is true to you, so try to be someone else or please the people around you.
You do not need to wait until an imaginary day in the future when you’ve got it “all figured out” to feel like a homeschooler. You can enjoy home education TODAY!
Because the way you think about home education directly correlates with how you feel.
If you want to feel better then change the way you think.
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
As homeschooling mamas, we often have a love-hate relationship with art and crafts. But understanding the value of the activity can help motivate us to not only find more crafts for our children, but to even enjoy them ourselves. When teaching history the Charlotte Mason way, craft activities can be a wonderfully creative way to change up your homeschool history lessons.
(This Blog Post contains affiliate link. Please see Disclaimer for more information.)
Scroll down for 10 crafts for you to usewith your children.
Homeschool history and Charlotte Mason
One of the main aims of the Charlotte Mason philosophy is to help children develop relationships – both with the topic they are studying and those around them. Craft activities are an incredible way to achieve this.
By enjoying a hands-on activity in your homeschool history lessons, your children will have something tangible to experiment with and explore. They have a chance to put their own slant on a history project and express their understanding in a fun and practical way. Additionally, children will build their own memories and visualise historical events and figures as they work their way through each project.
Another key aspect of Charlotte Mason philosophy is nurturing children’s ability to express their learning. Whether this is through an oral narration where they repeat back what they have learnt or through a written narration where they summarise the points they felt were important from their reading. But a history craft, and the discussion it inspires, is also a perfect way to have your child narrate what they understand in a natural, organic way.
10 Homeschool History Crafts
1. Timeline
Having a history timeline is an ideal way to visualise the order of historical events. Children can be their own historian as they record the dates and events of different periods.
A fun way to do this is to create a history timeline on the wall or large poster board, like this one. Children add their own items or images to each historical period. They can add whatever they like: paintings, collages, photos, or little facts.
For the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, you can use some free Seerah timeline images by signing up here.
Masjid al-Aqsa is a place so rich in history that people dedicate their lives to it without ever knowing everything. As Muslims we have a special connection to this place and it makes a valuable addition to any homeschool history curriculum.
Help your children bring the site of al-Aqsa alive by building their own 3D model. Using cereal boxes, plastic bottles and any other junk materials from around the house, children can get hands on with this activity. Use this diagram to get an accurate idea of the layout of the building and its surroundings.
This is a chance to talk about some fantastic moments in Islamic history such as Isra and Miraj, the Crusades and Salahuddin Ayoubi.
In history, there are numerous people for children to remember. Turn this challenge into a fun game by making “Who’s Who?” cards.
How to Play:
Firstly, create individual cards for each important person you are studying.
Secondly, include physical descriptions, achievements and general clues explaining who they are.
Then, one person picks a card at random and keeps it hidden.
The other players have to ask questions to guess who is on the card.
The beauty of this game is it can be replicated for any time period, whether the Wars of the Roses during the time of the Tudors, or the Civil Rights Movement in the US.
As mentioned, Charlotte Mason stresses the importance of children building relationships with the information they are learning. What better topic to relate to than that of your own family history. Life has changed so significantly over the past few decades that you wouldn’t have to research that far back to find interesting things for your children.
Use the instructions hereto make your very own family history journal. It’s important to allow children the freedom to express what they have learnt in their own way. Over time, let them draw, write, paint, or stick in photos and collages.
5. Shoebox Time Periods
This craft is extremely versatile and can be applied to whichever time period you’re studying. Use materials and items from around your house and grab a shoebox. Inside the shoebox, build a scene that represents a scene or location from your history lesson.
Here are some examples:
If studying Ancient Egypt, you can build a pyramid, add the river Nile, and draw hieroglyphs around the side.
For the Victorians, you could fashion a traditional Victorian street in London, complete with small toy models that children used to play with.
If studying the American Civil War, you can build a depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg from 1863.
Using model clay or playdough, you and your children can help each other to recreate famous historical buildings. Look at photos or documentaries, and discuss the history of the buildings as you work. You could build:
The Great Wall of China
The Colosseum in Rome
Pyramids
The Ka’ba
The Lincoln Memorial, etc.
7. Time Travelling Homeschool History Passport
As you go through your various history projects, help children feel connected to and excited by the many different cultures and ways of life you are discovering. A great way to do this is to encourage children to keep their own record.
Using the notebook tutorial for the Family History Journal,create a Time Travelling Passport. Children can draw things they discover about different time periods, stick in images they find during research, or note down their narrations. This craft can go alongside your Book of Centuries [insert purchase link here] and together they will make a wonderful record of your child’s historical discoveries and learning journey.
Another great addition to this activity would be the Magic Treehouse books [insert Amazon link here]. This series features two children who travel back to different time periods in a magical treehouse. Your children can use their passport to document their own time-travelling adventures!
If there is one thing the internet has an abundance of, it’s recipes! What’s more, some recipes are child-friendly and will make a lovely addition to your homeschool history curriculum. Using different time periods and cultures, you can have themed cooking sessions. Try some of these to start off with:
The next time you venture to the park or a local nature walk set your children a DIY tools challenge. During the Stone Age prehistoric people utilised stone, trees and leaves to craft basic tools. See what your children can create and bring home as a prehistoric souvenir. They could even draw their creations in their Time Travelling Passport!
Artistic expression has changed significantly. From cave paintings of mammoths to Michelangelo’s depictions of the Book of Genesis on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. A great way for children to connect and relate to these works of art is to try and replicate them for themselves.
Because of the wide range of art projects to choose from, this project is perfect for children of different ages. They can pick any image they feel comfortable with, whether it’s a cave sketching, Egyptian drawings from tombs or complete Tudor paintings.
Don’t forget to add the dates of the original works of art in yourBook of Centuries!
As you can see, homeschool history lessons don’t have to mean reading long biographies and composing written narrations. Craft activities are a creative form of narration and an opportunity for your child to spend time with the information they have encountered. Therein lies the beauty of the Charlotte Mason philosophy – you can mould the lessons to suit you and your children!
If you want to start homeschooling your child, you’re probably feeling a mix of emotions. You’re excited, anxious and maybe a little scared too. It’s normal to feel this way. If you already home educate your kids, you probably have lots of worries too! That’s normal too!
In Episode 76 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share why we should overcome our worries and just start homeschooling!
Key Points:
There are a lot of unknowns when you home educate your children. Despite the illusion, mainstream schools cannot offer children any certainty about their future. But you have chosen to walk a different path.
When you worry about tomorrow, you miss now. You miss the opportunity to teach, connect with your children, and enjoy homeschooling
Living this way is a recipe for discontent and will lead to poor decisions.
Worrying does not prevent problems from happening. It is not a sign of love.
When you feel worry, renew you intention, make dua, and pray Istikara: https://bit.ly/3srPw0g
Hadith About Worrying
Anas ibn Malik reported:
A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Tie her and trust in Allah.” Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)Jami At-Tirmidhi English: Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2517 Arabic reference: Book 37, Hadith 2707
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to choose the right subjects for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
A good education for our children is every parent’s concern and priority. We have been schooled to think of “success” as synonymous with, or at least dependent upon, “schooling”. However, as Muslim parents homeschooling in the UK, have we’ve lost sight and understanding of what a good education truly means?
In Episode 75 of the Raising Mums podcast, I talk about how we can instill good character in our children.
Key Points:
The Quran and Prophet ﷺ spoke extensively about the importance of good character.
Although individual teachers may try, the school system school has other priorities over developing noble character traits.
Children lead double lives, not just externally, but internally also.
When we homeschool, we can priority character, without sacrificing their academic performance.
The key to the immediate success of our children in this world, and their ultimate success in the next is our parental responsibility to ensure we nurture balanced, honest human beings who live lives based on principle and who exemplify good character in their dealings with other people.
Hadith about Good Character
The Prophet ﷺ once declared, “I have been sent to perfect noble character.” (Sunan Al-Bayhaqee: 21301)
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Righteousness (birr) is good character.” (Sahih Muslim: 2553)
The servant does not attain the reality of faith until he loves for people what he loves for himself of goodness. (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 235, Grade: Sahih)
No human being will enter Paradise if there is as much as the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart. (Musnad Aḥmad 7015, Grade: Sahih)
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to craft a curriculum for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Our religion values reading since the first verse revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was “read” from surah Al-Alaq. Reading is an important part of a homeschooling life and the primary means of gaining knowledge. Children are like sponges and absorb everything they are exposed to. Everything they read will read influences their heart, their way of thinking, and beliefs. This is why it’s crucial for parents to make sure that the children read only good and worthy books.
In Episode 74 of the Raising Mums podcast, Ustadha Mehded Maryam Sinclair shares her insight and wisdom in picking books for the Muslim child. This audio recording was a response to a question asked after her masterclass with the mums of Launch Your Homeschool.
Mehded Maryam Sinclair is an American writer, teacher, performing artist and student living in Istanbul where she studies, researches, and teaches the lives of the prophets known in the Qur’an to families all over the globe. She helps to inspire Muslim families to love their religion by telling them vivid stories that nourish their hearts. She is the author of two award-winning books, When Wings Expand and Miraculous Happenings in the Year of the Elephant, and A Trust of Treasures, as well as five audiobooks, A Mercy to the Worlds, The Bowing of the Stars, The Fall of the Tyrant, Take Heed, and Scents of Paradise. She has narrated classical Qur’anic stories to thousands of live listeners in the US, the UK, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand. VISIT HER WEBSITE:https://www.stories-of-light.com
To find the right books for Muslim kids consider…
Imaginary reality and Physical reality.
In the past, stories reason for existing was in line with survival of a community.
Stories become problematic when boundaries between reality and fantasy are erased or no distinction between good and evil.
One should also avoid books promoting disunity of the family, shirk, or that are solely focussed on magic.
I have also put together a list of the best kids’ books for Muslim children ages 0-5 years old. GET YOUR BOOKLIST HERE: https://ourmuslimhomeschool.com/booklist
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to choose the right subjects for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
