Fasting for children and Ramadan 2021

[Yazkiz]

Is any one's children fasting for Ramadan at 11 years old? My son is fasting for the 1st time. I'm worried especially this year with Covid if his immune system goes down during Ramadan.

Schools are on half term currently aren’t they?

@frazzledasarock Depends where you are in the country, schools in my area are now back. Schools in other areas are just starting their second week of the Easter holiday.

@UmmH

OP asked if anyone's children are fasting this Ramadan. She didn't ask for people's negative opinions about children fasting.

See how he gets on, OP. His immune system won't suffer as long as he is a healthy boy in general.

She didn't ask for people's negative opinions about children fasting

Well considering how negative she's feeling about it (and rightly so considering what her husband said), there are bound to be a mixture of opinions.

"Ramadan is more important than school"
According to the Quran, what age should a child start fasting at? Also what importance does it place on education? (A lot)

Schools are on half term currently aren’t they?
Mine went back to school yesterday.

Starvation is unhealthy for a growing child - that's a fact not an opinion.

No one starves in Ramadhan, most eat too much if anything. Even the poorest tend to get given more food via charity.

At 11 alot of children want to fast and you can't force food down them but I'll tell you what I used to do with mine. After school I would leave there food out for them in the kitchen, kids forget and eat then they'd remember an hour or two later that that were fasting.
I would explain that eating by accident doesn't break the fast and they'd be as happy as punch.
Most days this worked with tea and snacks.
Missing a meal or two for a couple of days never did any child any harm especially if they're healthy and eat well otherwise.

@frazzledasarock

Schools are on half term currently aren’t they?

Easter holidays rather than half term

My friend's 10 year old DD wanted to join in with the family fasting last Ramadan and the compromise her parents struck (because they didn't really want her to start that young), was to suggest she ate plain food only when she was really hungry.

So she'd have plain boiled rice or a slice of bread during daylight hours, or maybe an apple.

That worked well for them and her DD used to tell me she was 'in training'

My grandad used to always tell us to break a summertime fast into 2. We were in year 6 and the fasts were really long. So we'd have breakfast then 'fast' until 3:15, then not eat until sun down so we'd have kept 2 ' fasts' whilst the adults kept 1!
Fasting doesn't effect the immune system of a healthy child that's for sure.

I started fasting when I was 8 and then the fasts were opening at 3pm. It was easy enough for me overall, but you know your child best. What about starting with fasting at the weekends when there is no school to worry about and he can have a nap in the afternoon if he needs to? The whole idea at this age is to be guided by your child, no pressure but to demonstrate as Muslims this is a key part of their faith and connects us to all the different Muslims around world.

The op was asking from advice from people who's kids will be fasting or are considering it she doesn't need judgement from anyone who doesn't actually understand what it involves and the importance to fellow Muslims.

He was up this morning at 4:30 to fast but he was exhausted and he wasn't able to do it today. He went back to bed and went to school later. No fasting today. He will try to do it every second day without breaking his fast during the day. Yesterday 2 other children in his class were fasting too. So he was not the only one fasting at lunchtime. His cousins in Pakistan fast from 10 years old. So, he really wants to do his best like them. He's a good boy.

How is your husband with this @Yazkiz

Your husband should not have said that fasting is more important than education @Yazkiz.
I think the shorter fasts that people have mentioned on here are much more appropriate. Especially considering how many hours of daylight we have at the moment. We aren't Muslim but two of DS's best friends are (they're 10/11) and though the DCs want to fast, the parents have said no, they are too young.

My husband suggested this morning he fast every second day and not to break the fast until sunset. We can all break the fast together with a big meal. He said to our son yesterday it is up to him if he wants to fast or not. Health is most important especially with the risk of Covid 19. His teacher in school didn't give the 3 of them who were fasting any homework which was very thoughtful.

@Yazkiz

Is any one's children fasting for Ramadan at 11 years old? My son is fasting for the 1st time. I'm worried especially this year with Covid if his immune system goes down during Ramadan.

Most educated Imams now recommend waiting until 16 for boys and girls.

@stairway

A lot of Muslims actually put on weight during Ramadhan. It isn’t about weight loss or gain though it is about the mental discipline. Ideally weight should stay the same. North African families break the fast with a very nutritious soup called Harira which we do in our house. I also do a big food shop of all the things he likes to eat.

Yes. In my experience almost all the Muslims I know gain weight as they stuff themselves with rich, decadent ‘festival’ food afterwards which makes a mockery of the entire point of Ramadhan.

My boy is 12 and this is his second Ramadan
He's coping as fine as he did last year at 11. Btw he is almost 13 and last year Ramadan he was just getting ready to turn 12. However he did all of Ramadan at home. He will be returning to school next weeks and I do worry about him doing PE on an empty stomach.

Yes me too. My son did PE yesterday. I asked when did you do it and it was near the end of the day. He loves sports. So there is no way he wouldn't do it even it he didn't feel the best. In his school, they go out everyday for a run around, just to get some fresh air/break from classroom because of the Covid 19.

GrumpyHoonMain no one said Ramadhan couldn’t be enjoyable! You just need to be disciplined in the day. Most Muslims find it a very enjoyable month.

Most educated Imams now recommend waiting until 16 for boys and girls.

As opposed to uneducated ones?

That's their opinion but it's not their call to make, neither is any imam's opinion binding on any individual Muslim.

Surely things can evolve and so you can be more educated on what is best for children from a health point of view rather than just basing it on religious belief

From a health point of view our children are fine. We are also fine.

Had there been a health scare because a Muslim child chose to fast you bet it would be front page news resurrected every Ramadan.

I don't know if the OP is for real, every Muslim parent I know takes their cue from their child, children will eat if they are hungry and don't want to fast. We all have stubborn kids who want to copy us, and the littlies usually break their 'fasts' at lunchtime, or simply forget and eat.

The concern is not necessary. Although having been on MN for years, I can predict the veiled racist xenophobic posts starting each Ramadan dressed up as 'concern'.

The only time there were no posts were when the Grenfell Tower tragedy happened, and fasting Muslims being the ones who were awake that time in the night woke and alerted residents, saving many lives.

@CatCup

No, 16 at the earliest. They are still growing and need nutrients and energy for school.

I agree with that. Eleven is too young though he could give up certain things he likes to eat if he feels that he wants to.