Children make me happy...

Yesterday I went to the school I will be subbing at this Spring Break, and I went again today. subHan Allah, I really love being with children, I love it so much, al-Hamdu liLlah.

One thing that happened today that I'll never forget, in sha' Allah, was that they brought all the children into the masjid to practice for some performance they will be having soon, and they also wanted to take a picture. The Arabic teacher in a very serious and strict manner told these children to line up straight and to be good, subHan Allah with the way he was talking to them, seriously, I wouldn't want to mess with that guy. So then all the children were still and they looked like a solid wall standing stiff and straight with their faces forward in such clean straight lines. Then... -smiles- right when they were about to take the picture the Arabic teacher made this ridiculous noise and all the children started laughing!!! It was so funny, there was this high amount of pressure and to see it all drop within a matter of seconds was so funny, al-Hamdu liLlah.

During recess I was standing with the younger girls and one girl said, "you smell good." So then I tried to smell myself, I mean, what do I smell like? subHan Allah, I took a piece of my shirt lifted it to my nose, hmm, I didn't smell anything. -smiles- oh well, she made me feel good.

Children always try to make you feel good; while I was in their classroom I got two notes. One note was glitter glued on a heart, another a picture of two flowers. Why don't they just take my heart out and tickle it? When they do that I feel like everything inside of me squeezes together, it's that feeling you get when you try to hold a laugh, everything inside is just tightened. al-Hamdu liLlah for happiness.

While I was there I got a call from those inventor people I emailed not too long ago. They left me a message weeks ago but I just ignored it. They caught me when we were going out for lunch and I told them I was busy and to call at a later time. I guess they really liked my idea, Allahu a`lam, why else would they call me twice? Khayr in sha' Allah, I'll talk to them if they call again, I wonder if this idea will actually be successful... eh, it doesn't really matter.

One thing is pretty funny though, when the guy called I said, "as salamu `alaykum" then there was a pause, and he was like... "uh, hello.. this is... "-smiles- subHan Allah, for a while I stopped answering the phone with "as salamu `alaykum" because the person on the other line would rarely respond with "wa `alaykum as salam" and I didn't want to give that person the sin for not returning the greeting. Then I debated with myself again and I figured ~ well, it's a really nice greeting and I don't want to stop using it, it's not bad to use it, and maybe I should just kindly remind the person to return the greeting -smiles- I'm often debating with myself, as a matter of fact for all I know I may post this journal and then take it down. subHan Allah I keep thinking to myself, is what I am doing beneficial? Not always, so I do what I think is best. al-Hamdu liLlah, we have istikhara it's so useful.

Anyway, I love being in the whole school environment, I love being with children. Possibly just as much as a fish loves being in water -smiles-

One of the students asked me, "how old are you?" then right after he gasped and said he's sorry, very sorry, and the whole class rebuked him! I then said, "I'm 22, well, almost." Then they told me about a book they read in class and they were telling me, "It's not proper to ask a lady her age."... [I like the sound of that word "lady".. -smiles-] ...

I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really...

really.... really.... really... [that's 103! -smiles- and if you want 50 BILLION "smiles" read this ]
love children, subHan Allah. I explained to them how it wasn't a big deal to ask "me" how old I am, but to be careful with other "ladies."

The teacher has yet to tell them that I will be substituting and they were trying to convince me to work at their school. I'm coming next week but the teacher doesn't want to tell them yet, and so today she just subtly mentioned that if she's ever gone I will be substituting for her. All the chilren got really excited. -smiles- It's amazing how easy it is to warm up to children, all it takes is patience, and listening to them. subHan Allah children make the world a nice place to live in, they are definitely a mercy from Allah to adults... and it's a shame for those adults who don't realize it.

For these children I already know what one of my rules are going to be for the classroom, I've never seen so much "he said, she said" with children until I entered her class, when I sub that's gonna go! I have this rule when I teach Sunday School that we want for our brother what we want for ourselves, so that in practice: If everyone raises their hand, and I call on someone, everyone else has to put their hand down, and want that student to get the right answer, I get especially happy when I hear the students whisper to the one who was called on "get it, get it" -smiles- and then high five them for getting the right answer! I love it!!! In my classroom no student would ever even imagine saying anything bad about another student, so this "he said, she said" stuff needs to go now... Imagine if that continues on to their adulthood, subHan Allah we don't need anymore community gossipers.

Speaking about Sunday School, I want to explain a new game that I played with the children:

Game name: as-Sirata al-Mustaqim

Players: All ages, as many players as possible.

How to Play:
Let's say 10 students want to play, 7 will be chosen as competitors, and 3 will be chosen to distract the competitors. The 10 students who are competitors have to stand in a straight line shoulder to shoulder as if they are going to pray.

As they are standing, here are the rules:
1- You have to choose one place to look and you can not look away, or you are out.
2- If you smile or laugh, you're out.
3- If you turn your head, you're out.
4- If you talk, you're out.
5- If you do anything other than stand there and look at that place you chose, you're out!

While they are doing this, here are the rules of the ones who will be doing the distracting:
1- You must try to get this person to look away from their point of focus.
2- You cannot TOUCH THEM! Or clap at them.
3- You can only whisper.
4- You can approach them from anyside they are standing.
5- Do anything within the rules you possibly can to get these people off of the straight path.

Winner: More than one player can win at a time.

Point of the game: Teaching students how Shaytan can make them lose their focus, and teach them that just as they play the second time and get stronger and more able to deal with the distractions, that this is related to the dunya, and how we MUST not be distracted by whispers, or false glitter.

My observations: subHan Allah, some students right when they stand they lose, they just start laughing. Others are solid!!! I mean sooooolid!!!!! This one kid that I played this with in Sunday School, oh my Allah! He did not flinch, he did not turn his head... he was the only one left and almost 6 people were around him distracting him, trying to make him laugh, but ooooh no! this kid was STRAIGHT!!!

subHan Allah, once he was done I told him, "I would not be surprised if you became a great Sheikh one day!" I told this to someone last year, and believe it or not, that person is on their way to becoming one. A teacher has soooooooooooooo much power it is amazing!!! Warning notice: teachers can use this power for evil... students beware. -smiles-

From Private Schools, to Sunday School.... ya Allah, I love children.

subHan Allah, wa al-Hamdu liLlah, wa la illaha illa Allah, wa Allahu akbar! -smiles-