Tag: parents

Just writing

Handwriting or typing

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Image result for typing or handwriting

 

Typing is much easier, especially when writing a long essay, dissertation or an assignment. It is also easier for editing and word counting and so on. When I was an undergraduate student (hmm many years ago), it was possible to make a handwriting submission for essays. Typing was allowed but was not compulsory. At that time, I did not have my own PC, so I used to have them all handwriting. I discovered the difference when I started my postgraduate studies, and I will never think or recommend handwriting for long writing tasks.

But Handwriting is so special. To give a birthday card, a thank you note or even lecture notes to your friend in handwriting is different. It becomes not only about words but also the person who wrote them. I read once that handwriting, even scribbles have a significance. Your handwriting tells more about your personality. It is also known that our handwriting is unique; even twins have different styles of writing.

Today my son asked me to write a note for his PE teacher because his legs are so stiff after his boxing club. These days everything is computerised. I usually send emails, text or call the school; to write a note sounds a bit weird today. I was in a hurry, morning time! when I found the paper, I could not find the pen, and when I found both I forgot why he can not do it but I wrote it anyway. When my son saw the note, he said;

‘Mama, am I unwell?’ he asked and laughed

‘No,’ I replied and remembered the main reason, ‘ but you can explain more to your teacher.’ I laughed too.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

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Just writing

Do you worry?

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Image result for worry meaning

 

We all worry, maybe not all but most or some of us, at different levels; something that can be normal, mild or severe.

One of my friends told me once about her mother-in-law. She thinks too much about her health and her worries turned into suspicion. She does not eat at anyone’s house. She doesn’t eat any food. She rarely accepts to eat out. This is strange but who knows something might have happened to her that resulted in her being such a worried person.

Raising up children on your own in a foreign place where it is just you, your spouse and just friends who usually left, went back to their countries, is enough to make you experience worry with all levels. One day, about four years ago, my son texted me; ‘mama the bus didn’t come and I still waiting at the bus stop next to my school.’ That wasn’t something normal because my son’s school was too far from our house; it was in a remote part of the city. And on that day, he could not take the school bus because he had basketball club and finished at 4:30 pm. What made it worse was that he didn’t text when he missed the first one. He kept waiting and texted about 5:30. Why? Because he knew if his mother worries so much, he wouldn’t join the club in the winter.  Honestly, that was my decision but I didn’t tell him at that moment.

I don’t know how many times, I called and texted my husband but apparently they were so many. I still remember how he was breathless; talking while running down the stairs at his work telling me he was on his way.

When I called my son and told him that his father was on his way, he said; ‘the bus has just arrived. Shall I take it?’

‘Of course, jump on.’ I told him and he did. It was a long way from school to our house and I didn’t want him to wait any more at that far place.

‘What about papa?’ My son asked

‘Oops!’

I believe my worries were normal that day. What do you think?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

 

Just writing

No Experiments

nhpureandsimple

 

 

Image result for Ramadan Iftar

 

It is nice to try new food and it is even nicer to cook it. Simple recipes are available everywhere, especially on social media. Food has become easy to cook, yummy to eat, and fast to deliver. But on the first day of fasting, it is not a good idea to make any experiments. Not only because there will not be enough time or energy to cook another meal, but it will be very disappointing. Imagine the boys and their father look at the colourful dish, smell its spices, wondering what it can be, then fill the spoon, and taste it. ‘Yuk! it’s the first day, mama’

No, I’m not going to try any new recipes; not today. Traditional food is the best for the first day, something we all like to eat. When my son came back from school, he liked the smell of the food but he asked; ‘ can we have some chips? Extra side, mama’. ‘Of course, not. I won’t add anything,’ I told him. But that’s it, I thought. If I plan to make any new dish, I will make sure I add large chips, just in case.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

 

Just writing

Are you ready?

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Tomorrow will be the first day of  Ramadan. My sons kept reminding me; mama please don’t forget this and that when making this week shopping. They want the fridge and the kitchen cupboard to be full of snacks and desserts so after Iftar (breakfast), they will transfer those sweet and salty packets to their rooms when they usually disappear; ‘ we’re going to relax for a bit before night prayer. This relaxation means snacks + mobile.  That’s not all, the first thing they asked me: ‘ What are you going to cook on the first day?’

Don’t think that they love food that much. This is their way of celebration which they practised since they had started fasting.  When they were young, we used to encourage them to fast in this way, by getting lots of snacks to be shared by all of us after having our iftar. Now they are teenagers, taller than me,  but still, like to keep this habit.

By the way, the month of Ramadan is not about food. I like to follow you-tubers or others on social media sharing their recipes for the holy month, just for fun.

Fasting is an obedience; one of the main pillars of Islam. In this month, Muslims are supposed to do their best to obey The Lord, to show how far we can get close, and how far we can be better. It’s a reminder to care more for the soul than for the body.

 

This month, I will try to write a post every day. I will write about our experience of fasting this year. It might be so brief, but at least, I will try.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

 

 

 

Just writing

Spiders

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Image result for the word spider

Since we have moved to our new house, I have not spotted any spiders; this was good.

My middle son’s room is really really awful. His wardrobe is almost empty, and all his clothes are thrown out. I don’t know which ones are clean and which are dirty, but he said he knows.

Why do you have a wardrobe? I always ask him.

‘ I will pack them back,’ is his reply but he won’t, I know.

His muddy football boots were forgotten under the chairs. Plates, cups, water bottles are on his bookshelf. How many times I told him to clean it?  And how many times he promised, he will do? Countless times. Today, I wanted to surprise him and clean it. I expected to find spiders but there wasn’t any and now it is super clean. Hopefully, he will start to consider cleaning it regularly.

Then I moved on to my room, vacuuming and changing the bed sheet and covers, when all of a sudden, a spider, not big, not small was on my bed. He kept still, alive but motionless. I did not know where he came from. My room was not that bad. Definitely, it was not like my son’s. I did not think too much. I hit it with the duster, wrapped the corpse in a paper towel, and threw it in the bin.  ‘You’re in the wrong place’, I said

If I tell my son that spiders are escaping from his dirty room to mine, he will say that’s why he won’t clean it; to scare me. It’s better to keep it secret.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Precious love

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Image result for guess how much i love you children's book

These days the weather is great, long bright days and clear nights. Everybody is out, having fun and enjoying the good weather before it starts raining again. My boys are out with their friends for most of the time. Their happiness would always make me happy. Today I thought how children’s love is so pure and how their simple acts would make your heart leap and I remembered these:

A phone call from my son after school just to know what the doctor had said about my headache? (then he started arguing about his evening plans)

When my son cries out from downstairs, looking for me, he cannot wait to tell me about one of his adventures (of course something not private and confidential)

When my daughter ran to hug me at the school gate with a big smile because that day I could not take her to school in the morning.

And when my eldest came home, a bouquet of flowers in his hand on Mother’s day, it was a rainy evening, very rainy, and he was so wet and tired when he said; ‘mama, this is for you.’

Raising children is not an easy task and the more they grow up, the harder it becomes. Don’t count the missed calls and texts, the fights and arguments, and don’t forget their dirty rooms and their complaints about the simple chores. But their love is so precious. Their love will embrace your heart. Their love will make you smile. And their love will make you always thank God for having them in your life.

True, children are a blessing and a gift from The Creator.

Wishing you and yours all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Wonder

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Image result

 

 

We’re still in the Easter break and on social media, I read many reviews and comments recommending Wonder, the American drama film. Yesterday, my boys and I watched it but my daughter didn’t want to join us so she spent the night playing with her father. My boys,15 and 17 years old, looked at me; This is not a children movie, mama? They were ready to escape. ‘Just watch and relax’, I told them.

They liked it and so did I. It’s a heartwarming and inspiring story for all ages and I cannot wait to read the novel by R. J. Palacio.

Have you watched it or read the book?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Children Imagination

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Image result for children imagination

Children has a wild imagination which is really nice, good and interesting but sometimes this imagination, instead of being fun, turns your day or may be your week upside down. Here comes the problem!

One day, my daughter’s friend told her that a bone was stuck in her throat and she went to see her doctor, he got it out and she was fine, playing and happy; a simple tale (may be made up by her friend), but it wasn’t so for my daughter; she listened and imagined the process, stored the details in her brain for later which was not that far.

She imagined everything, she ate or would eat, would be stuck in her throat, vegetables in her soup, mashed potato, everything soft or hard; how long I explained and how she  listened carefully was good, really good, at least her panic was a bit relieved and she would eat little and go to play, but soon she would come back, crying, repeating the whole story.

Finally I explained how her body is very clever; there is a liquid inside her mouth (is it Saliva? I think so) helps her sharp teeth  mash and ground all of what she eats, some water or juice will do a great job to also help her strong tongue swallow and push everything through her throat straight away into her stomach. And it works.

‘Of course nothing could ever be stuck in my throat,’ she boasted.

‘Yes, and thank God,’ I prayed.

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Parents’ evening

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Parents’ evening is a good opportunity to know about your children progress at school and to know what their teachers and friends see and tell about them away from their parents’ eyes.

Academic achievements is always the main concern of most parents. Most of us would probably ask; how far my son or daughter is doing in Math, science, English and other subjects? what does he/ she need to get better? However, as well as children’s reports would be different, also parents’ attitudes towards these evenings are different. Actually, this is very interesting for me.

One of my friends told me once that her parents had never attended any parents’ evenings; they were more concerned about the end of year results or the marks she got at any exam and because she was doing well; they had never attended any of those evenings. This does not mean that they didn’t care but their point of view is that everything will be reflected in their school reports.

Other parents, would never miss out any parents’ evenings. They get their golden opportunity  to explode with all those negative thoughts about their children or the school. This group usually take more than the expected time for a meeting. Last year, my husband told me that one of the parents kept arguing and arguing; apparently he was complaining either about his child’s performance or the school in general. Those parents also care about their children but this is their way to complain to make sure that their children get the best of everything even if this was not possible either from the perspective of a school or the abilities of children.

Is there other group? Yes there is those parents always happy to attend and to meet with the teachers; they might be a bit late but it does not matter, they come any way. For them everything is positive and wonderful and they can not wait to spread the good news about their children’s wonderful performance at school ignoring that there was a tiny missing part of the story about their children being a bit behind or any other educational issue. They also care but they have their special way!

Who else do I see? Actually , I see us, and there are many like us, who also would try to attend all meetings as far as we can, but who also do not talk too much. We usually finish within the time or may be earlier. We listen more than we talk and this is why I think we usually finish early. We, and many other parents, believe that the academic performance is important but we also believe that the way teachers talk, and the expressions they show about our children is important too. I feel happy when I see their teachers’ big smile and feel the affection and joy in their voices while talking about my children which is the best thing any parent should be proud of.

Next time when you have a parents’ evening at your children’s school, remember to watch how parents would act while waiting for your turn.

Parents have different philosophies, haven’t they?

Wishing you all the best,

Nahla

Just writing

Hairstyle

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There is a well-known saying: “ the only person you can change is yourself” 

Although it always used in the context of challenging oneself to be better. When i read it today i remembered my sons’ hairstyle. 

Last year, my sons decided to have a new hair style; something completely different to how we used to see them. At the beginning, both their father and I angrily said “we don’t like this and we don’t see anyone we know have this hair style even your friends?” They both have the same answer; “ Exactly! This is what we like, we don’t copy anyone else.” 

I told my husband it’s just about time and they will change it. But he said “ No, they won’t” and it was true as for more than a year now they haven’t changed it. 

Do you think i give up? No. Sometimes, i said i am not going to pay for your haircut. Sometimes i said look what others are telling me about your hair? Sometimes i send them their old photos.
But nothing has changed. 

It’s us who decided to change. Honestly, we still don’t like it but instead of being angry, we take it as a joke giving names to their hairstyle and every now and then we check its length and texture! And my sons laugh and reply; “thank you, we like it and won’t change it.”

It’s really hard to change any person even if they are your own sons! 

With all best wishes,

Nahla