Fast Kids

I was reading YgInsaf's post on his son(?) fasting and am reminded of how my kids started fasting.

Fortunately for me, I think they picked up on the fasting habit from Taska Salsaabila, the nursery that they used to go to in Malaysia. Kids as young as 5 years old are taught how to fast for half day, up to lunch time. By the time they were 6, if they could, they could fast for the whole day.
So by the time Ilham was 7, he was already used to fasting.

Fasting in S@udi, however, is different from fasting back home, for kids. In M@laysia, almost everybody else is also fasting along with you, your teachers are prolly fasting as well and it doesnt get as hot as here.

Dh@hran British Grammar School (DBGS), the school my kids goes to now, is quite tolerant and understanding about the practice of sawm (fasting). They have a special room and activities for students who are fasting to sit in (if they choose to) during lunch/snack breaks. They tone down the PE class so that on top of the already water-evaporating heat, these kids did not need to lose anymore water.
The environment is still different though.

Last year when I wrote a note to the teacher about Ihsan starting to fast, I got a note in reply, asking me to reconsider. They said that the understanding is that only children above 10 is required to fast. I actually wrote the note to explain that I still pack Ihsan some lunch even though he wants to fast, and I only wanted to make sure that Ihsan eats if the teacher sees that he's being lethargic or looks weak . I was afraid that Ihsan would insist on continuing to fast because I had promised one riyal for every day he fasts. Well it turns out that Ihsan wuold only last about half a day, so I went ahead and packed him lunch everyday anyway.

Ilham, on the other hand, managed to fast for 20 days last year, when he was 9 years old. I can't remember how many days he fasted the previous year, but I remember his teacher marvelling how a boy his age (he was 8 then) could last a whole day, fasting. I explained to her that Malaysian children are taught to fast at quite an early age. I found out later that some arab children only start fasting at the age of 12.

This year, Ilham has managed to go through 2 full days of fasting (not including today). Ihsan had been sick, so he only strated fasting today. Anis was sick too, so we didnt let her fast, I will probably let her try to fast on weekends.
I'm going to see how they are when they come back from school. It is particularly hot this time of year, and as much as i want them to be strong and observe fasting, I do not want them to faint from dehydration.
Worse comes to worse, I will let them fast in school, but have them drink something once they get home if they feel awfully thirsty.

What do you think? Good plan? Or Not good plan?