Tribe Neuro

Pink Moon BellyDance

10/26/2020

Pink Moon BellyDance is all about dancing for wellness--dancing for all ages, for all bodies, linking the African culture/history of bellydance. I would describe myself as a wholistic bellydance instructor. Because bellydance was not introduced to me as a performance art, but as a casual social activity the women in my community would do at tea parties/weddings for healing/worship, or celebration.

When I teach bellydance, I teach language, vocabulary, history--I tell stories, we sing songs. I also promote sisterhood, so we may end class with a brunch, attend community bellydance events together, party at Afro Soca Love, have a yoni steam circle, hafla, Full Moon Ceremony, etc. I work to create space for us to bond, but also for self-reflection and empowerment. There's a real comraderie among the Pink Moon BellyDance students and families and once you are part of the Shimmy Sisterhood it's an everlasting connection. Pink Moon BellyDance Students come to class with a journal. We start every class with a reflection, vocabulary, and dance notation. Register for bellydane class HERE.

Pink Moon Bellydance is active throughout the NC Triangle Community. We bring that bellydance flair to birthday parties, ladies' night out, festivals, schools, child care centers, bridal showers, blessingways (blessing the pregnant mother before she goes into labor), Queen Mother Ceremony (honoring the mother after birth), Rites of Passage Programs, storytime in libraries and on rooftops, and more. Click HERE to book me.

I've also created a Pink Portal, to continue and support bellydance education beyond the classroom. The Pink Portal is a private student-instructor Bellydance Blog consisting of everything we cover in class plus supporting material. This includes video, pictures, inspiration, fitness/health information, and more. Students can communicate with each other and with me (the instructor). You gain access once you begin Pink Moon Bellydance Classes.

Below is a sneak peek into The Pink Portal, which may be available by subscription soon.

Below is our Belly Yoga event which is a fusion of yoga and bellydance. I usually coteach this event with a yoga instructor such as Ingrid Saddler-Walker (E-RYT 200/500) of Wytha Balance Yoga Studio.

Below is a Youth BellyDance Birthday Bash!!

Below is our Annual Dancing Fire Circle, which also provides a casual healing spiritual "performance" space for dancers/
for everyone.

Below is a picture of my King & I:

You know u r in line with the divine feminine when you know the value & place of the divine masculine. He is the gardener, the King, the mage. He carries the ability to take inner knowing out into the world and put it into practice, without mincing, muttering, or apologizing.

Thanks Hakim Ziyad-Bey for guarding, maintaining, and protecting our sacred space, our belly dance sanctuary for Pink Moon Belly Dance. Thank you for encouraging my passion as a belly dancer and making sure I can continue to share it with other women.

Our daughter playing in the BellyDance Studio. She came up with the name Pink Moon BellyDance and she is my partner. She joins me for many classes, performances, & events.

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Belly Henna

10/25/2020

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Celebrating the Mother with Henna is part of the Queen Mother Ceremony. So much attention is on the new baby that the mother can get lost in the sauce. It is important to have traditions in place that nourish/connect everyone and keep things in balance. After giving birth the mother can feel tired, empty, lost, and self-care can be lacking. Henna addresses all of these issues. It lifts the mother's spirit and allows her to feel supported and beautiful.

Creating henna designs on the baby bump is an experience. Everything from deciding on a design with the mother, discussing pregnancy & birth, watching the baby shift beneath her skin as I lie down lines of henna, & seeing the final result of the henna stain which highlights her beautifully unique belly.

Belly Prenatal Henna is a great way to treat yourself and also makes a great gift to a mother (especially for photoshoots).

What are you waiting for? Book Shemora Sheikh for your belly henna HERE!

*All of the designs pictured are by Henna Artist Shemora Sheikh of Rites of Passage Institute. Notice how dark and rich the henna design stain. Our henna is gentle, fresh, and safe.

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Chores to Chakras

2/17/2018

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Our son clearing leaves, enthusiastically!

The Chakra Interface System (CIS) that has changed our lives!! This is NOT ur mother's chore chart, no offense Mom!xoxo

My child's CIS (Chakra Interface System) Station

CIS offers wayyy more than conventional chore charts. Serve mediocrity, expect mediocrity.

THIS is the FB Post that started it all!

Nothing says, “My children are growing up!” like a chore chart! I guess we are leaving the baby phase! My youngest is 4 and my oldest is 11. Also, I started to realize that I was repeating the same stuff every day, “clean up your room, update your calendar, take out the trash!” I needed a robot!! But since a chore chart is cheaper, I went with that.

At first, I was thinking I would hang a color-coded poster board with chores listed and mark each day with stickers. Or buy one of those calendar dry erase boards with magnets that you see on Pinterest. But I didn’t want to call it “chores,” “Jobs,” or mommy’s helpers. How do you expect anyone to get excited about anything called “chores?” or about being “the help.” Then there are child labor laws, jk, lol! The chore chart is bigger than that. I don’t want my children to do the chores because I say so, but because they want too (intrinsic motivation, character development, umoja, ujima)!!! (insert giffy of light shining) I want them to see the interconnectedness. How doing a “chore” or self-help develops them as individuals (mind, body, and spirit) and helps us reach our goals as a family. However, as the idea for the title developed, so did the chart.

The chore chart became a chakra chart. And the chart became a personalized chakra interfacing system. Birthing the Chakra Interface System (CIS)!!!
I created a monster!!

Before you accuse me of overdosing on Yerba Mate & Kola Nuts, which is probably true, hear me out!!

If you only have a few minutes, watch the 1st video.

This is the extended version:

Get Ur Own CIS HERE!
Join the "1st Teacher" Community HERE!!

Sure! Slapping a poster on the wall would have been easier, but as I stated before I’m trying to “grow humans” here (as In-Tune Mother Project would say)! My intention in parenting and educating my children is not to reproduce employees aka “the help.” The belief of women as baby-making factories supplying the nation's’ factories is a bullet-ridden train hobbling through the black hole of patriarchy. I say, I decide what missions for which to guide my starseeds. The 1st Teacher: Neuro Nurturing series is committed to nurturing the whole child (mind, body, and soul). This vlog is just a preview into the entire series full of meaningful parenting and homeschooling hacks.

I saw the chore chart as an opportunity to build character, purpose, critical thinking skills, and literacy.
The CIS:

Is interactive/kinetic/visual: if you want to teach children, appeal to their senses/sensory. The Chakra Interfacing System (CIS) makes the child move. She has to move her body to sort and shift the daily chores/assignments. Movement invokes memory and is FUN! Sensory is also brain-based appealing to the multiple intelligences.
Strengthens parent-child bond: the CIS provides a healthy way for the parent and child to communicate with each other. My child lets me know she did the chore by hanging it on the chart. I acknowledge her activities by tallying the Chakra Cards and offering a Privilege Card. Of course, there’s good old-fashioned yelling, but I’m too pretty for that! Lol.
Promotes literacy and increases vocabulary. The picture of the activity (chore/study/pray) is on one side of the card, while the word is written on the other.
Is personal. The children feel connected and excited about the CIS because I used photos of them in it. It also gives a sense of ownership. “This is mine and my responsibility!” instead of “there goes Mom imposing her imperial rule on us.”
It’s culturally appropriate and creates a true worldview. Not only did I use photos of them, so they see melanated children, but I also used photos/clip art from around the world. Therefore, it boosts their self-esteem, again develops a sense of ownership, and develops a sense of connectiveness with the African diaspora, Ummah, and the world at large. Representation matters!!
Promotes Umoja/Unity/Family Loyalty/Cooperative Learning. On a regular chore chart, each individual is striving (competitive) to get the most stickers or to check off a list. But with the CIS my children teach and help each other learn the system and complete the tasks. They actually divvy up the task among themselves. At the end of the day we tally up individual scores, but we also tally the total composite score for all 3 of them. They strive to reach an overall total number, not just individual. They check on each other and cheer each other on.
Democracy/Negotiation. Promotes critical thinking skills because I left some of the chakra and privilege cards blank. They are not limited to the activities listed on the Chakra Cards and they can create new privileges.
It’s spiritual. The CIS teaches the chakras (energy centers important for health and balance) & 7 Kwanza principles. The cards have chores, school assignments, and spiritual practices (i.e. prayer, dhikr, yoga, going on a walk). This teaches that maintaining/feeding the spirit is important. Our body has rights over us; self-care, reaching one’s full potential.
Fits different parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, free-spirited, etc). It can be parent-led (for younger children, special needs, etc) or child-led (those ready for more independence etc). The parent can hang the Chakras they want completed and then the child will hang them on the lower 3rd hook upon completion. Or, the child can take the chakra activates directly from the cup and hang it on the appropriate chakra hooks as completed.
Focus on completion (one’s full potential) versus standard definition of success as only material things and titles, you as a human matter. Building your higher self. Instead of focusing on chores/jobs, CIS focuses on chakras. As mentioned before, CIS includes physical, intellectual, and spiritual activities.

Points to Remember:

Parents don’t always have to offer a privilege.
What is considered a privilege in your home?
What type of people are you trying to raise?
This Tribe Neuro VLOG article is an example of a "1st Teacher" video. The Version in the subscription involves more detail and resources than the vlog version and includes consultation. Please help Rites of Passage Institute to keep providing women's wellness and family education services by enriching your family with the "1st Teacher" Video Subscription!!

Free Download Links mentioned in video:
Chess Cards
Alphabet Cards

Chakra Resources
Chakra Bear
Free Chakra Coloring
Free Yoga Printables
Chakra scavenger hunt
Chakra bingo
Chakra System:
Major channels through which life force flows into physical body; mediating channels between astral and physical bodies associated with major glands (endocrine system) and acupuncture points.

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Families Run the World!

3/22/2017

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Today, I'm taking time to introduce one of my greatest resources. Victoria Shakoor of Single Parenting Mastery is the founder of "Stress Free Parenting Mastery" online course where Parents learn the know how and skills to build Trust which fosters Respect, develop a bond which enforces Obedience, create a

family structure which encourages Cooperation and much more. As Victoria says in her video below, Families Run the World, so use her services as a way to maintain harmony in your family and expand your power as a family!

In addition, she gives you tips on starting an online business, finance strategies that she's used to help budget for business success, pros & cons of starting a business, marketing, and so much more. So be sure to visit her website and subscribe to her youtube channel.

Contact her for your 45 minute discovery session today.
Schedule your 45 minute sessions here: http://tinyurl.com/zdn4x3u

In her Youtube video below she discusses how Families Run the World:

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Autism, Spiritually Gifted?

3/1/2017

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So I was reading this story about Rumi, when he was in the market, the pounding sounds of all the tools become so overwhelming for him, that he began to whirl... and that's when whirling dervishes (Sema Ceremony) began. Now, what if Rumi got a sensory overload and started stimming (whirling) as a way to cope? Now, for Sufis Sema/Whirling is a way to reach ecstasy (wadj). Whirling is a way to become one with God, the universe, nature...So if children on the spectrum spin as a way to cope, whose to say that is not their way of connecting with the world, universe, God...we may all purchase weighted robes and whirl with my son!

Our family sees autism through many lenses and one of those is spiritual. This is easy to do because of the indigenous traditions we as a family follow. But this is very difficult to explain in a society that sees autism strictly as something to fix. Our son was injured by vaccination. While this is a crime against humanity, it has not stopped me from appreciating my son. That injury has given him challenges and gifts. For example my son repeats phrases a lot and he tries to make me repeat after him a lot (which is really annoying), but he has the ability to hyperfocus on things (which can also be very annoying). If you want to know about turtles, he can tell you everything about turtles! This is why I don't call him disabled. I focus on his abilities. He is capable of a lot more than he is not capable of. And for what he is not capable of, well, everyone has challenges! And we work hard to overcome those challenges everyday, but we also work hard to protect and encourage his gifts.

Here is an article and a few snippets from it that discusses mental illness & spiritually:

Rethinking Mental Illness: Are We Drugging Our Prophets and Healers?http://www.vironika.org/drugging-prophets-healers/

In his (the Shaman's) village, the symptoms we commit people for, Dr. Somé’s village recognizes as marks of a healer. They honour, respect, and nourish the very same patterns that we condemn, isolate, and drug.

We’re weeding out our geniuses. We’re killing off our prophets. We’re drugging our messiahs.

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Afro Doll Party: Representation Matters!

1/26/2017

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The Afro Doll Party is another one of our recurring events that started from something small. I was at T.J. Maxx when I saw various Kenya Fashion dolls for $3 each. They were various shades of brown, with various African facial features. I was in love, but I hesitated on purchasing the dolls because all of them had b one straight hair. I’m meticulous about the children’s media that I expose my children too. If it doesn’t promote diversity, uplifting, growth, it’s hard for me to invest. My daughter, who is a toddler, was just starting to get into dolls. She loves her afro with a fierceness that challenges a mother who sees braids as the most practical hairstyle for little girls. What messages about her kinky hair and kinky hair in general would I be sending by handing her a dark skin doll with straight hair?

The documentary Good Hair by Chris Rock flashed before my eyes, the pencil test (if a pencil can stay in your hair without falling then you have bad hair), monthly toxic burning relaxers, wigs that pull out your edges, weaves, hot combs, tons of black hair products that feed into economic injustice in the Black community because black people pour their money into them but very few of these companies are owned by Black people, self-hate, being told you’re not beautiful, sacred, special. I couldn’t hand that legacy to my child!
Could I?

I turned to my husband and asked him if he thought it was ok to get the doll for our daughter. He said no. I threw it in the cart anyway. When I got to the register, I gave it to the cashier and told her I wasn’t buying it. Once I got in the car, my daughter being an immature warrior princess said, “Where’s my doll?” I had no idea she’d been paying attention. I had got something for everyone, but her. My husband told me to get the doll if I wanted it. So, I ran back in the store and bought them.

I still wasn’t satisfied though. That night I went online and searched how to give a doll an Afro. A plethora of videos, blogs, etc. appeared. The process looked a bit arduous. What could I do to make it more fun? In the midst of all this doll business, I had been wrecking my brain for a way to get my daughter around other girls her age. You see she has 2 big brothers and most of my friends have boys. Therefore, she is always around boys, and trust me she holds her own, but I want her to be well-rounded.

A light bulb went off! The Afro Doll Party was born! I bet there are other little girls out there who would love to bring their dolls to the salon (novelty), style the doll’s hair (art/kinesthetic/creativity/fine motor skills, Cause in Effect/learning to follow directions/culture/ self-image/diversity/self-esteem), play with other girls (social skills), eat snacks, and spend quality time with a caregiver (bonding with mom, dad, etc). So many developmental domains and intelligences are covered with a culturally competent approach. parents get to hangout, socialize, and support each other. Sounds like a Rites of Passage Learning Center Event!

I posted it on social media and it was an instant hit. People wanted to do it! I got a lot of interesting responses. One woman messaged me that her daughter didn’t have any African dolls. I thought that was interesting. No matter what ethnic group you belong to, living in multicultural America, why not have dolls of various ethnic groups, colors, shades, facial features, hair types? I love that we live in a country where such options are available. There’s no excuse. But I let her know that the doll did not have to be African or of African descent. Like white people don’t have Afros!

Heck, it didn’t even have to be a doll. Some parents had informed me that they were bringing horses! Many people posted that their daughters didn’t have any dolls and that they would have to go out and buy them. Then I started to wonder, are dolls popular anymore? Are they going out of style? Some other person mentioned that dolls set girls up to be doormats. Another said that this is the age of electronic toys. One mother was relieved to learn that dolls hair could be curled; her toddler daughter of various ethnicities had been complaining about her own curls and saying how her doll’s straight hair was better. Some parents mentioned that their daughters didn’t even know what an afro was…..

Even more topics came up at the Afro Doll Party. One parent said she searched a few places for a black doll on the black side of town and couldn’t find anything except white dolls. She found that odd and was disappointed. The parents discussed how they tried to explain to their daughters what was going to happen to dolls hair. Parents brought up their own childhood memories. I realized how such a small thing created space for important dialogue. But what I gleaned from this event was the spirit. It was magical. The girls were so excited. My daughter smiled from ear to ear the entire time. The little conversations and hugs between the girls.

My hair is my crown!

They danced to the music and watched doll skits on You Tube (our son was the DJ). Another pro, I conversed with amazing women as I attacked the mundane task of rolling my daughter’s doll’s hair. Mission accomplished!
I’m very grateful to Down 2 Earth Natural Hair Salon in Tulsa, OK for keeping my locs luscious throughout the years, accommodating my needs as a hijabi, and letting us use their salon for the Afro Doll Party!
Currently, I’m organizing Afro Doll parties in other cities. Call me or throw your own Afro Doll Party!

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Support Black Business & Your Child's Confidence

12/22/2016

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With it being the holidays, people are in toy shopping mode. These expressions of love and generosity create bonds and joy. It’s a magical time, especially for children, but beware of the Trojan horse.

How does it make your melanated princess feel when you give her a Frozen wig to wear, a Blue-eyed Baby Alive doll, a backpack decorated with Anglo fairies? What does it teach her about herself?

How does it make your melanated son feel when you give him that Buzz Lightyear Toy, Mario Brother’s game, etc?

If s/he has been fed a steady diet of mainstream media (cartoons, clothes, books, toys), s/he will be excited. In fact, any child may be excited because the mainstream media are exciting, colorful, fun, and it connects one to a group experience. After all, these companies spend loads on marketing to children and parents. However, what is the subconscious message and what is it doing to your child?

Many times we (parents) feel it is okay because the characters are animals, but the animals all have blue eyes and the animal that is the leader has white fur; there is that one Black character, but the main characters and superhero are all Anglo, heck even the Black character may be anglicized (you know with straight hair); the movie is based in China or somewhere in the “middle east,” but you best believe the main characters are light-skinned while the antagonist/evil characters are dark-skinned with heavy accents; or it’s a techy game,

but the packaging usually has an Anglo girl/boy on it. Oh, yeah it gets very petty. And some would call me petty for acknowledging it. But honestly, these clichéd tropes are exhausting, boring, and uninspiring.

What if I told you that this mainstream children’s media chips away at your malenated child’s self-esteem? And gives your anglo child an artificial sense of self-esteem.
What if I told you that main stream children’s media decreases your malenated child’s life chances? Yeah, like that means that when someone gifts your melanated child that Sir Topham Hatt it is the gateway to illiteracy, apathy, depression, low academic achievement, low financial literacy, it’s like slipping someone a shiny little pill and they never see it coming.

It’s one thing to bamboozle adults with silky shampoo commercials, and drunk Black superheroes, but it is another when one tries to destroy my child’s identity and sabotage his/her future.

Play at the expensive of my child’s self-esteem—no thanks. “Hispanic and Black girls who watch more Black-oriented television have higher body satisfaction,” (nationaleatingdisorders.org/media-body-image-and-eating-disorders). Negative media stereotypes (thugs, criminals, fools, and the disadvantaged) are demoralizing and reduce self-esteem and expectations. Dealing with negative expectations may also create stress and drain cognitive resources in some contexts — leading to the lowered performance. Not to mention these negative media stereotypes feed white fear/imagination. Lack of diversity in children’s literature is a blockage to melanated children becoming motivated, engaged, and proficient readers. And even when they do become proficient readers, despite the lack of positive representation, guess what that teaches them? Don’t be yourself and you will be successful. Serve those not like you and you will be successful.

On this bag you can see who is in front and highlighted. Which fairy are they suggesting is the most beautiful and important? What type of skin is more represented?

So, when someone hands your child a Pokémon poster, a show with all the anglo characters and the controversial Blackface Jynx, it is telling him who is important, who deserves to be loved, and what is beautiful! Why not say, no thank you, and get him a Meltrek poster.
Mic Drop.

Here is a list of Black-owned businesses that create children's toys, books, etc with equity and positive representation. Go shopping:

https://edanimeproductions.com/shop/dvd-meltrek/
http://www.blackbeautydolls.com/
http://www.misszee.net/
http://www.myakids.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
http://www.bbe4.com/vandora.html
http://www.martidumasbooks.com/books
http://babysparkles.biz/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=259
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1530439191/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
https://www.icecreamtoysandbooks.com/
http://www.pattycakedoll.com/black_dolls
http://www.sugarfoots.com/
http://shawncrealcreations.com/
http://yeslioness.bigcartel.com/category/coloring-books
https://www.etsy.com/shop/OffDHookCreations
https://sites.google.com/site/buymoorish/place-your-order
http://www.funrise.com/positively-perfect/#/store/collection/zair
http://www.itsbathtimebaby.com/order.html
http://www.taylormadenc.com/new-products/
http://www.kujichaguliapress.com/
Swift Walker Books
Fred Crump Jr Fairy Tale Books
Children's Backpacks, clothes, shoes:
https://www.facebook.com/AyAnnAsArt/
[email protected]
Islamic Children's Books:
Reading Books
Fairy Tales
*The Prophet
*not Black-Owned, but positive representation.

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Attack of the Cones

12/16/2016

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Here I am divulging all my Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free secrets, and you guys aren't sharing with me! "Tell me who I have to be, to get some reciprocity." (Lauryn Hill, Ex-Factor) Far real, why didn't anybody tell me about the gluten-free ice cream cones?!

See the problem is, you guys take ice cream cones for granted. However, my children have gone all these years without experiencing an ice cream cone. Imagine listening to Wu Tang's Ice Cream; all those flavors, sans cones. Sure we have coconut or almond ice cream in a bowl. Now, we can have it on a cone. This is whole nother level type stuff.

So now that we can have ice cream on ice cream cones, we are dedicating one day a week to learning how to properly eat and hold ice cream cones without letting it drip all over your hands and clothes. Oh! Or without letting the entire ball of icecream fall completely off one's cone.

My children may have gotten a late start, but I'll have them caught up in no time, for the next ice cream social!

And if I'm looking extra plump in my burkini, you'll know why!

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The Secrets to GFDF Dining

12/3/2016

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Hakim, Me, Starseeds in the background, & Mom at Joes Crab Shack

If gfdf (gluten-free, dairy-free) grocery shopping invokes a panic attack, then the challenge of gfdf dining can cause Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. However, no need to fall victim to a panic attack or PST because this article is the gfdf map of how to navigate restaurants and menus!!

Six years ago, my husband and I decided to go gluten-free, diary-free as a family to help our son overcome his autistic symptoms. Through this journey we found a healthier lifestyle and I wrote a gfdf cookbook, The Rites of Passage Meal Treasury. At first, we didn't eat out at all, but little by little we started to venture out. The cook has to have a break some time! So here are some tips:

Go Ethnic!! Most indigenous cultures originally did not include wheat or dairy in their diets. Therefore, most ethnic restaurants (be it Asian, Indian, African, Greek, Caribbean, or South/Central American) have gfdf dishes on their menus. Welcome to the world of corn tortillas, tamales, shish-kabobs, rice noodles, potato noodles, rice, beans, chilled soups, sour/spicy soups, fou fou, yame, jerk chicken, curry, coconut, hummos, falafel, and roasted, grilled, and stewed meats.
Soup or Salad? These are usually safe, but watch the salad dressing, noodles, cheeses, and heavy creams. Our favorite soups are fire roasted tortilla soup, wild rice & chicken soup, lentil soup, egg drop soup, shrimp cocktail soup, pho with rice noodles.
What did sushi A say to sushi B? Wassup B!? Get it? Wasabi! Sushi is so much fun. Ask for gluten-free soy sauce because most soy sauces are brewed from fermented wheat. Avoid the cream cheese, and be careful of tempera/battered.
Chewing is over-rated: Smoothies. There are lots of options that don't include yogurt, whey, or ice-cream.
Veggies with an Attitude: Raw Foods. There are many raw food restaurants and the majority of the menu items are vegan and (drum roll please) gfdf. And they have the best gfdf desserts! Avocado pudding, macaroons, apple crisp, tarts stuffed with cashew cheese--I'll be back.
Ice Cream, You scream!! Okay, I am one of those people who never buy ice-cream to keep in the house, so going out for ice-cream was a big deal for us. Well, the gfdf put a stop to that..... for a minute. We usually go out for slushies or snow cones instead of ice-cream. But then we discovered a major ice cream chain in our neighborhood that carries two diary-free options. They call them ices.

If you can handle a little preplanning, you can try this too: When we go to the self-serve yogurt places with all those fruit and nut toppings. We get all the gfdf toppings we want. Weigh and pay. Then I will pull the tub of coconut vanilla ice-cream from my purse and scoop it into the dishes. I've never gotten the stank-eye from the cashier and my children don't know the difference.

Then there's the Mexican ice-cream shop (Paleteria/ La Michoacana). They carry all kinds of gfdf frozen desserts (helados). They even have, my son's favorite, mango-on-a-stick (it's really just a peeled mango on a stick). Steer towards the water based paletas.

7. It's always tea time! My children love mint tea with honey, warm apple cider, or an almond milk steamer. Going out for tea is relaxing and a great opportunity for me to teach my children about manners.

8. Get sauced. Oklahoma is home to the best (yes, I went there) barbecue and smoked meats. Usually the sauce does not have gluten or dairy, but check to be sure. Baked beans, smoked potatoes, roasted corn, and green beans on the side please.

9. Omega 3 Heaven: Seafood. Fish is broiled, grilled, or fried in cornmeal. Just be sure the cornmeal batter isn't mixed with wheat flour! Who can resist crab steam pots with an ear of corn and new potatoes?! Avoid the bread baskets and hush puppies.
You do have to be a lot more meticulous about gluten or diary contamination if you have a severe sensitivity/allergy to gluten or diary (i.e. celiac). For example, are the cooks using separate utensils and prep surfaces? They usually say so on the menu (at the bottom with the asterisk). Now go out and eat something (gfdf of course)!!

Our Family Favorite GFDF Dining Spots
in Tulsa, OK

Elote Cafe: 514 S Boston Ave, Tulsa, OK 74103, http://elotetulsa.com/
Zoes Kitchen: 3629 S Peoria Ave Tulsa, OK 74105, http://zoeskitchen.com/
My Fit Foods: 1601 East 15th Street, Tula, OK 74120, www.myfitfoods.com
Himalayas: 4844 S. Memorial Dr, Tulsa, OK 74145, www.himalayasok.com
The Flame Broiler: 5355 E. 41st St, Tulsa, OK 74135, www.flamebroilerusa.com
Shogun Steak House of Japan: 6808 S. Memorial, Tulsa, OK 74133
Fu Thai: 5646 S Mingo Rd, Tulsa, OK 74146
Genghis Grill: 1619 East 15th Street, Tulsa, OK 74120
Raw Intentions: 848 E. Aspen Ave, Broken Arrow, OK, http://www.rawintentions.com/
Blue Moon Cafe: 3512 S Peoria Ave, Tulsa, OK 74105, http://www.bluemoonbakerycafe.com/
Baskin Robbins: 6808 S Memorial Dr, there is also one in Woodland Hills Mall, http://www.baskinrobbins.com/content/baskinrobbins/en.html
Which Wich Superior Sandwichs: 6028 S Memorial Dr, http://www.whichwich.com/
Jasons Deli: 8321 E 61st St,Tulsa,Ok or 1330 E 15th St,Tulsa, Ok, http://www.jasonsdeli.com/
Chipotle Mexican Grill: 10902 E 71st St, Tulsa, OK or 1623 E 15th St
Tulsa, http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/Default.aspx?type=default
Joes Crab Shack: 7646 E 61st St, Tulsa, OK 74133, http://www.joescrabshack.com/
17. La Michoacana (Ice Cream Parlor): 9467 E. 31st St. (31st St & Mingo) & 2138 S Garnett Rd, Tulsa, OK 74129
Laffa Medi-Eastern Restaurant & Bar: 111 N Main St, Tulsa, OK 74103 http://www.laffatulsa.com/
Smash Burger: 10830 E 71ST ST, TULSA, OK 74133, http://smashburger.com/
Evolve Paleo Chef & Juice Bar: 3023 S Harvard Ave a, Tulsa, OK 74114, https://evolvepaleochef.com/location/tulsa/

Oh, and if you find a good gfdf pizza place, let a sista know!
Coming Soon!!! New updated edition of The Rites of Passage Meal Treasury Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cookbook! The same recipes you love and new recipes to explore.

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School on the Go! How we survived mobile homeschooling.

11/26/2016

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With the Fatinah & the Gold Adornments book tour, not only did we (me, hubby, & 3 children) take on the task of traveling for 6 months, but we embarked upon the journey of mobile homeschooling. How do people do this?

I don’t know, but we did it. We were on this beautifully orchestrated schedule of tutors, and classes in our home classroom (which was in our 1800 square foot home in Oklahoma). In addition, our children had horseback riding, tennis lessons, tae kwon do etc. I had it flowing so well, I provided classes for other children.

My home classroom was my teacher (as explained in 1st Teacher Series)! Just as parents work when their children go to school, I worked when my children had tutors and classes. It was nice to have someone else teach while I filled orders, updated my blog, and ran errands.

How was I going to recreate that on the road??

Well, I learned that some tools are invaluable to have while mobile homeschooling. Number one--other homeschooling families. I am so grateful to the families who hosted us. The first family we stayed with, in St. Louis, have an amazing home classroom.

It was easy to transfer to using their learning space and to fall into their learning routine. And a bonus—they were gluten and dairy free too!

We were off to a great start and I could tell the children were making a smooth transition. Not only did they have a classroom in this home, but as any homeschooling family does, they had an itinerary of community educational activities. We visited museums, play dates, festivals, community vegetable gardens (where we learned about the toxic levels of lead in the soil), etc.

In Ibrahim's & Lakenia's homeschool classroom in St. Louis.

The zoo along with many of the museums in St.L are FREE!

Hubby Hakim holding our daughter next to a wall calculator in The Magic House in St.L. Homeclassroom Goals!

The neighborhood we stayed in in St. Louis.

In addition, we parents had so many educational resources to share with each other; we had to set up a schedule to ensure we shared everything we said we would share with each other. By the end of our stay my thumb drive was full, and I had new playlists on YouTube. We were off to a great start.

Our eldest son caring for newborns in the Magic House Hospital.

These signs were throughout the neighborhood! Good Vibes!

While on the road, the children were entertained with their laminated maps, markers, cameras, children’s atlas, which was all within reach on their travel desks and pencil bags. They took solace in their DIY personalized pillows and the river of snacks. When we did stop, we did yoga or Have Fun Teaching’s Fitness Songs usually on a grassy null near the gas station. People often watched and praised us. One time I heard a chuckle, and looked up from half moon pose to see a police officer smiling at us as he pumped his gas. When he saw my 3 year do 15 full push-ups, he was floored. I think it made his day. Oh! Let’s not forget the portable urine receptacle. Tiny bladders are the roads enemy.

Our next stop was Milwaukee, WI. We stayed in a charming 2 family duplex with my father. With a front yard, back yard, and nearby parks, our children engaged in biking, foraging, catching fireflies. With two living rooms, we instantly set up the other as the classroom. This is where my pull out bins system discussed in the 1st Teacher Series came in handy. I also got my hands on the Summer Milwaukee Recreation Guide and enrolled my children in a few science and engineering camps. We also enrolled them in capoeira (3 times a week) and Arabic classes.

In no time, between workbooks, camps, and classes we were our busiest and their education was “in the bag.” This stay was filled with family visits, book signings, and workshops. It was an intense schedule, but with the help of friends and family it went smooth. In fact, it was a new & refreshing experience to have extended family members pitching in to shuttle the children back and forth. It was hard to leave as we had all grown attached to the teachers, family, and flow. However, we were on sleepless night number 3 of the Milwaukee Uprisings, which were raging a block from our location. Sleep deprived, we hit the road.

Our last destination-- North Carolina. As soon as we landed in North Carolina we were booked for events. We were blessed again to have the benefit of staying with a homeschooling family with a home classroom. Our children had instant playmates & classmates around the clock. However, this time, I couldn’t tap into all of the camps and classes in the community because we were in a rural area. Plus, we only had one personal room and we were limited in our ability to physically integrate into the home classroom. Therefore, we used the land as a teacher and workbooks. We built fires, cleared land, road on tractors, visited local farms, ran up and down pine needle covered roads, sought out constellations, crafted stars out of pine needles, and hiked. During this time workbooks, the pull out bins, and the computer became our best learning tools. My favorite thing was to spread a blanket outside under a tree. Set out our pencil boxes, musical instruments, workbooks, and abacus, and get to work.

In NC I didn’t know anybody (except for our host family, I had no family, I was far from any Muslim community, I didn’t know the area, and I wasn’t mobile (no sidewalks, public transportation, etc). However, between the computer, workbooks, and great outdoors I was able to come up with somewhat of a schedule. One of the best parts of being hosted by a homeschooling family is that the children have an automatic audience for project presentations. It is during this time that they honed in on their speaking skills the most.

So that is how I survived mobile homeschooling. There’s probably a book out there somewhere on how to do it, but we just jumped right into it. Now, I am preparing to settle back into our home and rebuild our home classroom. One thing mobile homeschooling and seeing so many other home classrooms has taught me is that I can teach with a lot less stuff. Most things I thought I needed, I didn’t. My new classroom will be a lot more feng shui!

So my biggest advice, meet up with other homeschool families along the way, take advantage of local camps & classes, order some great workbooks, clipboards/travel desks, have a laptop with a hotspot, have online educational subscriptions, have material (poetry, definitions, spelling) for the children to recite while you drive, and a killer ass activity bag to keep all your supplies packed and ready to go at all times! The Classroom is the teacher, but the world is your classroom!

Coming Soon! Tour Home classrooms of various homeschoolers across the nation! Look for it in the 1st Teacher series. Email me at [email protected] to submit a video.

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Pink Moon BellyDance

Below is a sneak peek into The Pink Portal, which may be available by subscription soon.

Below is our Belly Yoga event which is a fusion of yoga and bellydance. I usually coteach this event with a yoga instructor such as Ingrid Saddler-Walker (E-RYT 200/500) of Wytha Balance Yoga Studio.

Below is a Youth BellyDance Birthday Bash!!

Below is our Annual Dancing Fire Circle, which also provides a casual healing spiritual "performance" space for dancers/
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Our daughter playing in the BellyDance Studio. She came up with the name Pink Moon BellyDance and she is my partner. She joins me for many classes, performances, & events.

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THIS is the FB Post that started it all!

If you only have a few minutes, watch the 1st video.

This is the extended version:

Get Ur Own CIS HERE!
Join the "1st Teacher" Community HERE!!

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School on the Go! How we survived mobile homeschooling.

Hakim & Shemora

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Below is a sneak peek into The Pink Portal, which may be available by subscription soon.

Below is our Belly Yoga event which is a fusion of yoga and bellydance. I usually coteach this event with a yoga instructor such as Ingrid Saddler-Walker (E-RYT 200/500) of Wytha Balance Yoga Studio.

Below is a Youth BellyDance Birthday Bash!!

Below is our Annual Dancing Fire Circle, which also provides a casual healing spiritual "performance" space for dancers/​for everyone.

Our daughter playing in the BellyDance Studio. She came up with the name Pink Moon BellyDance and she is my partner. She joins me for many classes, performances, & events.

THIS is the FB Post that started it all!

If you only have a few minutes, watch the 1st video.

This is the extended version:

Get Ur Own CIS HERE!Join the "1st Teacher" Community HERE!!

Hakim & Shemora

Archives

Categories

Below is our Annual Dancing Fire Circle, which also provides a casual healing spiritual "performance" space for dancers/
for everyone.

Get Ur Own CIS HERE!
Join the "1st Teacher" Community HERE!!