It's Ramadhan again - the glorious month. It's the time we get to perform one of the pillars of Islam; fasting. It is also called the generous month because we get many generous blessings; we pray and do charity and get rewarded abundantly insyaAllah.
I am so grateful that I get to meet Ramadhan again, alhamdulillah. While most of us warmly welcome Ramadhan, as a parent, I quietly fret about how to handle three kids (especially it's the school holidays now) and keeping them entertained while I'm exhausted from the fasting. Balancing parenting (include breastfeeding too) and fasting is definitely challenging and I salute all stay-at-home mums out there!
My toddler kids have so much energy. I have to really keep up with them; switching from one activity to another. Thankfully Fatima is at that stage when you offer her the boobs, she'll pengsan right after and I will anticipate her next wake after 3 hours tops. In the mean time, I rush to complete any house chores or just looking after Luqman and Adeena.
Most of the times, I let them play and play and play until they get bored and I'll switch something on the TV for them to watch right after. While I can say that they certainly can manage on their own, it's the siblings' squabbles that really tick me off. It's so frustrating and exhausting having to referee the constant fighting every single day. Not to mention energy draining, too, especially when you're abstaining.
Sometimes, I just let them embrace the boredom. But I guess they're still too young to really understand how to. Haha If they're tired from playing, they're hungry. Food has to be abundant in the house! Too bad I can't join their energy refuelling.
I guess the highlight of the day is their afternoon nap. Oh boy, such a peaceful and serene place the house is when they are napping. I keep on telling them you kids have to sleep, it's Sunnah. Sleep sleep now! When really, all I want is also to nap haha I mean, it's a healthy habit and it's also a downtime needed for all of us to avoid getting on each others' nerves.
Ahhh the challenges. And it continues right after they wake up, getting them to shower, feed them early dinner and then get ready for breaking fast. My day during Ramadhan usually will end at about 10-11 at night after I have performed my prayers. Terawih is absolutely at home, no doubt. And a brand new day starts again as early as 5 am.
You know, we mums will keep on saying this and that, complain of the fatigue and challenges. But I guess if given a choice we wouldn't want it any other way. Tiring, yes, hands down. But seeing your kids right in front of your eyes, attending to their every need no matter how exhausted; it's such a blessing. Knowing that every night when you kiss your kids good night and make them recite the prayer in chorus and they say they love you in return, gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling that wipes away all the sweat, tears and tiredness.
May the force be with us mums this Ramadhan. May we be persistent in our responsibility and ibadah. And may Allah reward us generously, insyaAllah.
Ramadhan Kareem!
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