Eid is just around the corner and I do not know about you, but I am trying to plan in advance activities to keep my bebo comfortable during Eid Salaat. As cute as I want him to look- I have to make sure he is in warm and comfortable clothing. We normally pray Eid salaat at the Hershey Center but last Eid we opted to go to Al Huda. It was warm, cozy, less crowded and completely indoors. Also, they have super hero volunteer aunties who JET (AND I mean faster than a plane) and pick up crying babies! It is pretty cool actually, the last two years my bebo has spent the entire khutbah and salaat with random aunties- who cooed, smiled, played and loved on him. It was such a treat for me! Alhumdulillah. I know a lot of Mama’s are just not cool with other people touching their kids- and hey that’s fine too, whatever floats your boat… a lot of them claim that it is their child and not them, that’s cool too.
Zakariya is Mashallah a very sociable toddler. He has no problems with large crowds and new places. Usually a new environment is enough distraction in itself to keep him busy. My concern is that ever since he has started walking, it’s difficult to get him to sit in one place. He is for sure a toddler on the go and there is no stopping him!
I am hoping to have a few Mommy tricks up my sleeve to keep him sitting in front of me for as long as possible.
Here is my list of wishful thinking: or should I say my DUA list:
1) For those of you who have been to the Hershey Center before, they have a pretend soccer field- with some sort of plastic grass. I am hoping he will be too scared to walk on the grass and will be glued to my lap.
2) I am also hoping my mother in law or mom will find him either too cute or too irresistible to put him down and offer to watch him the whole time.
3) Maybe his dad can take him on the men’s side, yeah not likely. He will probably distract the Khatib and knock over the microphone system.
4) A super cute hijabi baby will catch his attention and he will stare at her the entire time. When they grow up they can get married. It would be so halal and weirdly romantic at the same time!
5) He will sit on his baby janamaaz and do sajdah the entire time.
6) His winter jacket makes him so cozy that he sleeps through the whole thing.
7) My relatives show up and refuse to return him to me, for the duration of the salaat.
8) He voluntarily chills on my lap. No fussing involved.
9) The stranger sitting next to me, signals to him “come here” and he actually goes and does not want to come back until AFTER the salaat is over.
10) Best case scenario: one of my younger cousins is not praying but had to come because her older brother does not know about PMS yet, she can watch zakariya while hanging out in the non-praying section.
Alhumdulillah, my bebo is not really a difficult child…. BUT you never know. Kids always have good days and bad days. At least they are better than adults! Anywho, it does not hurt to make DUA in advance =p
How are you planning to get through Eid Salaat?
