The timing of Ramadan this year means no respite for children in the UAE, as the school year is not yet over and so they will be in class until the last few days of the holy month.
In recent years, expat Muslims could take their offspring back to their home countries to spend the month with relatives in places where the weather is less extreme.
“It has been a while since we spent all of Ramadan in the UAE with the kids,” says Lujain Al Rasi, who is from Jordan. “But I’m determined to make it fun for them and recreate the spirit of what Ramadan is like back home with my parents in Amman.”
The key lies in the family traditions, adds Al Rasi, given that children’s perceptions of most things depend on how the parents present them.
Shafaq Khan, an Australian-Pakistani mother of one, agrees. “These days, we are reading books in preparation, making decorations and lighting up the Ramadan lantern,” she says. “We have a Ramadan countdown calendar and we’re giving out treats to friends in school before Ramadan starts. I want my daughter to look forward to this time of the year.”
Amjad Saber, a father of three from Egypt, intends to start his own traditions. The family plans to drive to the desert the night before Ramadan starts to spot the Moon and make the occasion exciting for the kids.
“My oldest is 8 and wants to start fasting this year, but it will be very difficult with school,” says Saber. “We will let him try on weekends or have him fast half-days at home when he returns from school until iftar time. That’s how I started as a child.”
Celebrating Ramadan, and the spirit of giving during the month, does not have to be restricted to Muslims.
Lisa Irwin, from the United Kingdom, is the mother of four boys, ages 2 to 9, and the founder of Music Monkeys, a company that provides music and movement classes for children across the UAE. She mobilises the mothers in her community, Mangrove Village in Abu Dhabi, to give something back during Ramadan.
“It’s a way to get my boys to appreciate the spirit of the month, and respect the traditions and customs and religion of the place they call home, the country where they are learning and growing,” says Irwin.
Mothers and children in the village put together a list of essential items, including toiletries and food, to create care packages for gardeners, security men, maintenance teams and other workers in their area.
The children help to fill and distribute the packages. Irwin even gets her boys to come up with ideas of what to put in each box.
Parents play a large part in creating excitement about the holy month, says Alaa’ Awaysheh, a Jordanian mother of two who lives in the UK.
“I’m thankful that my kids think of Ramadan as a magical time of the year, despite the fact no one around us or our close friends celebrate it,” she says.
To that end, she creates traditions at home. Each child has a good-deeds jar, in which they place acts of kindness written on pieces of paper, and then pick one a day to perform.
Her children, ages 10 and 5, also put aside some of their pocket money for a charity of their choice. If it is local, Awaysheh takes them to donate it in person before Eid.
“We also take photos of the kids every Ramadan and use it as our Ramadan greetings to family and friends,” says Awaysheh. “We buy Ramadan dates from charities and not supermarkets. Every year we research who we are supporting. Last year, we supported Palestinian farmers by buying from a charity called Zaytoona. This year we are supporting Syrian refugees.”
The children are also encouraged to write an Eid wish list.
“It’s fun and could include things like going to Legoland or a doll,” says Awaysheh.
“The kids know they can write anything on their list, but that doesn’t mean they will get it all.”
Memories of Ramadan created during childhood – and the things parents do to present it as a fun, happy and exciting time, as well as spiritual – are carried into adulthood, says Esraa Bani-Rothman, the American-Sudanese founder of Moms Guide Abu Dhabi. Her children, ages 18 months, 6 and 8, are already excited about the holy month, thanks to memories of previous Ramadans. “What they care about is the holiday spirit, but what my husband and I are trying to achieve is an environment that nurtures a warm feeling towards Ramadan,” says Bani-Rothman.
“So we put up Ramadan banners, frame Ramadan greetings, hang lanterns and fill the house with twinkling lights.”
The family also sets up a Ramadan tent in the living room, providing a place to pray, supplicate, read the Quran, sit alone with their thoughts and even nap – a “reflections” tent of sorts.
This year, Bani-Rothman’s Moms Guide group will host a “Welcome Ramadan” party at the Bodytree Studio in Abu Dhabi on Thursday afternoon.
Children will listen to stories in Arabic and English, create Ramadan crafts, do yoga and enjoy crescent- and star-shaped cookies.
“The kids will learn about the Arabic lunar month and the significance of the Moon,” says Bani-Rothman.
“The event is Ramadan-related, but not exactly from a religious perspective. It’s about learning about Ramadan in a kid-friendly way, focusing more on the fun and celebration. We are setting them up for a life of looking forward to this month.”
• Parents can register at www.momsGuide.ae and each child will receive a free Ramadan book
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