Okay I am soo excited I cant sit still subhanAllah. Here is my news… even though I take my daughter to speech therapy, she is still non-verbal because of her trach and although she knows some signs, it is frustrating to understand what she wants at times alhamdulillah. This is why I have come up with the idea to make her a PECS board/album. For those who do not know what that is, it is a “picture exchange system“. These run upwards of $150 in the assisted needs stores. Im making her one for $15. What you do is get a large bristol board or photo album, you print out pictures of everyday activities (i.e bottle of formula, potty, book, outdoors, blowing bubbles, nap, etc) and small pictures of family members. Then you laminate them all. You then cut small strips of sticky back velcro. Stick them to the back of the pictures. You then cut and stick long velcro strips vertically on either the bristol board or pages of photo album, (which ever one you are using) and then place the little laminated cards on the vertical lines. You then teach your daughter or son to get the picture they need at the time and bring it to you to let you know what they want. You can then sign it, if you want to encourage signing as well, but it is just added to your everyday life… think of it as an assistant inshaAllah! As an alternative you can also get those voice recorded photo albums… they tend to run around $30. Here are a couple different ways you can make them… (keep in mind that if you use soft material you can roll it up and take it with you wherever you go… the same with the ones on the rings, just throw them in your purse or daughter’s/son’s bag…

I will make dua for Bint Ahmed and the other muslims in South Africa (for those not yet muslim, Allah guide them). I will also make dua for my in-laws and people in Yemen inshaAllah.
Who will you make dua for?

Try and get all the sisters you know involved so that each sister has two other sisters to make dua for inshaAllah, it can be in any country, the larger the dua circle the better. Also, if you need dua’a made for you or your family, leave a comment, names not obligatory, Allah subhana wa t’ala is Al-Raheem and knows intention Alhamdullilah.

http://ummiscircle.blogspot.com/

http://islaam4kids.wordpress.com/

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

I am thinking of volunteering and starting a class for boys and girls at the islamic center to teach Spoken Word. It is a type of dramatic poetry with comparitive phrases that really can get any point across. In the past Alhamdulilllah I have written and published poetry alhamdulillah and am a certified English teacher. Throughout the course we will put on small performances “coffee nights”. I think it will really bring them out of their shell and learn public speaking, it will be in arabic and english. Here is one example, a poet in the United States.

Sarah Kay – For My Daughter

Duaa’ before sleeping
Duaa’ when we wake
Duaa’ when entering and leaving the hammam
Duaa’ for visiting the sick

Salaah Nasheed أنشودة للأطفال للحث على الصلاة
Arabic letters – writing them out each night for homework
English letters – writing them out each night

Tashahhud

Athan