Celebrating or preparing for Ramadan in a Muslim country is different from doing it in a non-Muslim country. This is pretty hard when you're bringing up kids who have no idea how Ramadan works. But the good news is you can still make it work if you plan it right. You are responsible for creating a positive understanding of the Holy Month and its rituals. As a family, you must do the needful to make your children look at Ramadan in a different light. 

How Can You Create the Ramadan Vibe? 

First of all, don't centre Ramadan on decoration. You have to decorate the house to make children enthusiastic about Ramadan, but don't indulge in it. 

Try to involve your children when you are decorating and planning the Ramdan calendar so that they will remember it. In simpler terms, make children understand and grasp the importance of the Holy Month. 

Although there are no fast and steady rules for decorating and planning Ramadan, we've got a few tips for you: 

• Read Quran together: It hits different when you engage in ibadah as a family. You could sit as a group along with your children and make them read a particular Surah (you included). You could either read an Ayah by Ayah or a page. This will turn reading the Quran into an exciting activity rather than a fearful or pressuring act. 
• Assign storytelling to every family member: Ask every family member to narrate a story about prophets after or before Iftar. You could allocate an hour for this and allow the family members to present their own storytelling style. Help them take notes and prepare beforehand to become engaging, not dull. Along with learning about Prophets, they will also develop communication, presentation, and preparation skills. 

Please don't repeat the same tasks for older children; instead, you can ask them to gather information from the shared stories and make those into a family discussion. This will promote learning and discussing Islamic topics in detail. In case you run out of ideas, you will not. But if you do, explore Allah's 99 names and discuss their meanings. 

• A family that prays together stays together: salat-ul-Jama'ah (congregational prayer) is one of the best things you could do as a family. While it's usually prayed at the masjid, you could also do it at home with your family. This will knit your family members together, and it will also help your children understand prayers, trust, love, and security. It'd be fantastic if you could designate a particular place for prayers. If you have no clue about doing it, we have a DIY guide for you.
• Invite or share your Iftar with neighbours: Generous acts like giving translate into more than a rewarding deed. It's about spreading Islam, and its etiquettes, especially in a non-Muslim country. 
• DIY Ramadan Cards: It's important to teach kids about DIY cards and help them make their DIY cards, and exchange them with other kids in the neighbourhood. Explain to your kids the importance of spending time and creating greeting cards with a personal touch. This will be a lifelong lesson. 
• Take responsibility for a needy family: If you make this a habit during Ramadan, it'll become a lifelong practice. Please encourage your children to share what they have with others. To make it happen, you should take them to people who don't have enough sustenance. When your children see what these people lack, they'll be encouraged to help. Some people lack basic things like clothes, water, beds, blankets, and food. So it's vital to make your children see the people in need. Once you create the path for your children to make sharing a habit, they'll do it continuously. Cultivate this habit in Ramadan if you're looking for a way to start.
• Cook together: This is a great activity to create memories. Usually, people make more memories cooking the meal than eating it as a family. You can prepare iftar with your children and partner; it'll be fun and eventful. 

The holy month is to reflect and rejuvenate. You have to restore and strengthen your relationship with Allah (SWT). Instead of doing it alone, you have to make your family follow it as well. You can use this month to create and cultivate new habits. So why not? 

May Allah help us all to reach Ramadan. Aameen!