The month of Ramadan is a great month, it is a month of worship; fasting, praying, and reading Qur’an. It is also the month people renew and solidify their ties with each other. Despite all this, daily work does not stop and neither does the studying responsibilities on the shoulders of our beloved children.

Studying, as any mental exercise, has to be done when the brain is ready. Therefore, it is recommended to start studying in Ramadan after the iftar and the Evening Prayers. Studying should continue uninterrupted for three to four hours; after that the child can take a break or can sleep until suhur.
If possible, our children should also be encouraged to make use of the time after Fajr (Dawn) Prayer, which means that the best sleeping time is after returning from school. We should not forget that the amount of sleep a human being needs depends on his age and health condition. Balancing between our children’s obligations to do their homework and to get enough sleep is essential.
One thing a father or mother should not do is to ask their children to study when they are too tired to do that. We have always to bear in mind that Ramadan time is precious and we should not allow ourselves or our children to waste it in unnecessary activities, like watching TV or playing computer games for long periods.
Iftar is just like any other meal, and it should not be dealt with in an excessive or extremely generous way. Unfortunately, a lot of Muslims forget that Ramadan is about simplicity, and Ramadan iftar meals are well known for their variety and have become excessive. This has a bad effect on our stomachs, which suffer a lot due to uncontrolled eating (quantity wise and quality wise). We, as parents, should always remind our children to give our stomachs enough time to resume activity after a long day of food abstinence.
All that (the quantity as well as the quality of our nutrition) has a direct effect on our brain and our mental well-being. The best iftar starts with a sugary drink, here we note the wisdom of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) when he suggested to break our fast by eating a date, and then to eat reasonably after the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer. During exams, it is preferable to eat fish for its rich content of phosphorous that is needed for mental activities. Fish is also rich in iodine, a substance essential for the thyroid gland, and it is rich in vitamin C, which protects the brain cells from deterioration.
Drinking lots of fluid, such as soups, is also recommended. It is very important to remember that our iftar should include protein-rich meals that are followed by some kind of fruit. Fruits are important, especially for our children, due to the fact that they contain saline and minerals. It is preferable to use natural oils rather than butter in cooking, to make the food lighter and easy to digest.
As for the sahur meal, we should serve our children some kind of sweets such as honey or molasses beside fresh fruits and juices and milk products, in order to help their concentration when studying after the Fajr (Dawn) Prayer.
Academic subjects have to be categorized according to their difficulty; some need more concentration than others. For instance, mathematics and the sciences need to be studied first as they need a “fresh mind,” whereas subjects like history, poetry, and literature should come next on the study-list.
As for attacks of forgetfulness that students suffer from before exams, it is but a psychological reaction to fear, apprehension, and insecurity. As a result, the student can neither concentrate nor differentiate between what he is studying and what he has studied; this can happen during the study session and the cure is a good sound sleep that will help to relax and to retrieve lost information. Staying up late and taking pills will promote worries and instabilities.
Another general advice is to tell our children that studying while being preoccupied with a personal problem, a worry, or a fear, is not going to help their concentration .Before starting any kind of studying one should put ones worries and personal problems aside. Ramadan is the month of spirituality and worship; we should take advantage of that and cleanse our minds and hearts. Even here, parents are very much needed as role models. Issues like these can only be “transmitted” through daily interaction with parents and not through mere words and preaching.
Another issue parents have to bear in mind is the importance of teaching our children how to organize their time. Writing down a simple study-plan, a schedule, is advisable. To allocate subject and time will assist our children to organize their time and will avoid the tendency to defer or postpone. The schedule creates a positive psychological and mental attitude. Students have to learn to balance between study and recreation. Schedules should be seen as guidelines that help them to keep focused on each activity’s starting time, each activity’s duration, and each activity’s ending time. However, schedules should still be flexible, allowing minor changes due to unexpected circumstances.