parenting

Schenectady is doing OK as a mini-Muslim, but his duties aren't too complex, mostly consisting of not biting too often and not having a hissy fit while I pray. But he's not always going to be seven months old, which means some sort of Islamic upbringing will come into play. But which sort?
In terms of what I'd want for the Islamic aspect of his upbringing, it's been a forest of nots- not being taught to look down on women and non-Muslims, not coming to view Islam as simply a brand of politics, not using religion to be a douchebag, etc. But what should a progressive Islamic education actually contain?
It's not as if there's a progressive Muslim Sunday school or summer camp to put a kid in and let the staff do all the work; this will be quite the slog. Some things, like memorizing Qur'an, can often be assigned to tutors, but teaching a child about creation and God's role in daily life can't be delegated to a teacher- it's got to happen entirely at home. Where does one start?

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

What the heck does this have to do with Islam and/or Muslims? Plenty. The Qur'an encourages breastfeeding for up to two years, but many Muslim women in the US and abroad do not breastfeed or only do so for a short time- the initiation and continuance rates in many traditionally Muslim countries is low, and the largest ethnic group of Muslims in the US- African Americans- have the worst breastfeeding initiation and continuance rates. Put those together, and while it won't tell you exactly how many Muslim women breastfeed- religion is generally not asked about in these studies- it does point toward a high probability of many Muslim women choosing to part with Qur'anic advice.

Childhood is an incredibly precious time of life. This is a time to grow mentally, morally, and physically, to be shielded from adult cares in order to better prepare for them. This precious time of life is indeed meant to be fleeting, but it rankles me when I see children being pressed into adult roles – or clothes.

Time to 'fess up. I was a tomboy as a child, and I still require my clothes to be, above all, comfortable. What's the point of putting something on that makes you feel uneasy? If you're looking for discomfort, life will provide many opportunities for such. I also enjoy children's company, and I find those wearing clothing that they can run, jump, wiggle, climb, in short, be kids in to be happier children overall. There are places where highly restrictive clothing is appropriate, but those come with padded cells and nurses. If you are allowed to have shoelaces, you should be in clothing that allows you to bend over to tie them.