Ensuring a 'beautiful fast' for youngsters willing and able

Mariam Saqallah, 8, is observing the tradition for the first time this Ramadan. Her mother, a dietician, explains how to make the experience enjoyable for children.

Dr Amani Kamal Saqallah, a dietician at Al Rahba hospital, is keeping a close eye on her daughter Mariam, eight, who is fasting for the first time this Ramadan.

ABU DHABI // Ramadan is an exciting but daunting time for eight-year-old Mariam Saqallah. For the first time, the youngster is trying to abide by the Islamic tradition of abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours.

"I want to try it but I won't do it every day yet," she said. "I always talk to my mother to help me." Her mother, Dr Amani Kamal Saqallah, a dietician at Al Rahba Hospital, is keeping a close eye on her youngest daughter to make sure she not only enjoys the experience but learns from it. "I would never force a child to fast," she said. "Last year, she fasted for a few hours each day, we called it bird fasting. Obviously, this is not the same type of fasting, but it gets them excited about it and helps them understand the ideas."

Mariam is allowed to make her own decisions during Ramadan and her mother allows her to break her fast if she wants to do so. If she was not already awake for suhoor, the morning meal, she would not be allowed to fast for the day, Dr Saqallah said. "If you force someone to do something they will think negatively about it, this is not the purpose of Ramadan," her mother said. "Everyone will remember their first fast and it should be a beautiful fast."

Dr Saqallah, 38, and her accountant husband Emad, have encouraged their children to fast gradually. Mariam and her older sisters May, 12, and Lama, 10, were given a certain amount of freedom to start fasting only when they felt ready. The most important thing for parents to understand is that every child is different, Dr Saqallah said. Her eldest daughter, May, first fasted throughout Ramadan when she was nine.

"There are individual differences," she explained. "Parents must know their child's ability to fast. Even if they are willing at a young age, they may not be able. No one forces their children to fast, even the most religious families." According to Islamic traditions, the fast should be observed once a child reaches puberty. Some doctors say children younger than 10 should not fast for the full month; the aim of allowing them to practise beforehand is to get them used to performing the ritual.

Encouraging children to be honest about their fasting is also an integral part of the learning experience. "There is no point Mariam telling me she is fasting when she is not," Dr Saqallah said. "This is why it is better that she break her fast and be honest. The religious aspect is very important so it should be done properly." Al Rahba Hospital distributes general nutritional information to all families during the holy month to help them manage any children who are fasting.

It includes a healthy eating guide to help them ensure their children get all the nutrients and vitamins they need during the evening and early morning. The majority of the Ramadan diet should include vegetables and whole grain foods, followed by red meat and refined grains in lesser quantities. Children should also be encouraged to eat plenty of fresh and dried fruits to keep the blood sugar levels constant and avoid sugar lows. The overall message is fasting can be healthy if it is done properly, particularly as so much of the food is freshly made.

"I miss water the most," said Mariam, who will turn nine next month. "It is sometimes hard but I still want to try. And it is fun being around all my family for meals." Dr Saqallah said her family never eats alone as they always have guests or an invitation to eat elsewhere. "It is possible to eat much healthier during Ramadan because all the food is home-cooked and there's always salad and soup on the table," she said.

"I watch my daughters at the table to make sure they are getting all the nutrients they need and I make them drink a lot of fluids so they are ready to fast the next day. "The most important message is do not try to force a child to fast, it is not the right way to do it." @Email:[e-mail] Are your children fasting with the family for Ramadan? Tell us about your family's approach to this holy month tradition at www.thenational.ae/yourview