Ramadan Series: Finding Time for Worship as a Mama
I cannot believe Ramadan is just two days away! I’m excited, nervous and honestly a little scared to approach it this year with two kids. I actually thought I wouldn’t be fasting this year with breastfeedingl but Allah had other plans for me. As moms our Ramadan’s are so different. When I think of Ramadan I think of Tarawih at the masjid, long nights spent awake, suhoor dates with friends and an overall spiritual enlightenment. A restart for the whole year. However as moms, none of these are really a part of my Ramadan as days are spent feeding the kids, taking them to the playground and so on. I get sad but I have to remind myself these are just small sacrifices we make. That being a mom and taking care of the little ones is worship within itself, just not the way we imagine it. This year since I’m not working and home with the kids I want to set goals for myself. I have shared how to make time for worship even as a Mama.
Write your goals out and make sure they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and a Time-bound.
As a mom with two kids and handling a household, I have to be organized for our days to run smoothly. I have always had a habit of writing things down to stay organized. Sometimes, my thoughts are so heavy that it makes me anxious. Writing it down in separate categories, relieves that anxiety. So for Ramadan I try to make goals to reach for the month. My main mistake is sometimes I reach too high. Even though this time I have a lot of goals, I’m trying to complete them a little at a time each day. I chose to make them SMART, a technique I used with my clients as a therapist when picking goals to achieve. This makes it more likely to complete theme instead of making an enthusiastic and unrealistic list. These are some of my goals below:
Read 10 pages or more of Quran daily.
Listen to a Podcast everyday with notes.
Pray Tarawih/Nafl everyday. At least 4 Rakat.
Re-read Reclaim your Heart.
Complete Yaqeen Ramadan curriculum,
Eat less sugar.
Be grateful. Write down 5 things everyday.
Be patient with kids. No yelling.
Limit social media time.
Lastly, give myself a break.
Pick a time of day to achieve these goals.
For each goal, I have chosen a time each day to complete it. For example, for Quran I plan on reading a little after every prayer. For listening to my podcasts and completing the Yaqeen Ramadan curriculum I plan on doing it during the kids naps and so on. Its important to set realistic timings as I know a lot of I cannot complete while the kids are awake.
Make it a family event.
When possible, get the whole family involved. Now that Safa is 3, she also likes to read her Quran (Arabic Alphabet Book) while I read Quran. I may not be able to do it for a long time but even if I get a few pages done, that gets me closer to my goal. Listen to podcasts with your spouse and discuss it afterwards. It helps to have shared goals. Read Tarawih together if possible and so on.
Get help if you need it.
Sometimes, it is okay to get help. Get takeout when you need it. Hire a babysitter to get a break when you need it. Order in groceries. I know I definitely cannot do it all, and that is okay.
Take it easy.
Last but not least, take it easy. Some days fasting will be harder than others. Other days the kids will be a handful and other days your body will be worn out. Recharge and try again the next day.
Inshallah I pray this is a beneficial Ramadan for all of us. These are small helpful tips that help me and I hope it can help you too!
a thoughtful mama
