How can I teach parking an idea on a sticky note instead of leaving the task? 

Parenting Perspective 

It is a frequent occurrence: your child is halfway through their homework or the task of tidying up when a sudden idea bursts into their mind, such as, ‘I should draw that picture now!’ or ‘I forgot to feed the fish!’ Within seconds, the main task is forgotten and has been replaced by a new one. Their mind simply races faster than their focus can keep up. You are then left wondering how to keep them anchored to their task without crushing their creativity. The key is not to stop their ideas from flowing, but to teach them how to ‘park’ those ideas safely until a later time. This is where the humble sticky note can become a powerful parenting ally. 

Explain Why the Brain Jumps to New Ideas 

Children do not become distracted because they are being defiant; they become distracted because their brains are naturally curious. Their working memory can only hold so much information at once, so when something new and interesting appears, it can easily hijack their attention. You can explain this to them gently: ‘When you remember something important in the middle of your work, that is your brain trying to be helpful. We can teach it how to wait for a moment.’ This approach helps to build their self-awareness without a sense of shame. You are not blaming them for their distraction; you are giving them a tool to manage it. 

Introduce the ‘Idea Parking’ Tool 

You can begin by explaining that the sticky note is not just a piece of paper; it is a ‘parking space’ for their ideas until their current job is done. You could say, ‘When you get a new thought or an idea, do not stop what you are doing. Just park it on a sticky note, and then you can get back to your main task.’ It is helpful to keep a small notepad or a stack of sticky notes wherever they tend to study or play. You could even label one corner of their workspace as the ‘Idea Car Park’. It is important to practise this new skill together in a light-hearted way. 

Make It a Part of the Daily Routine 

Habits are formed through repetition and positive reinforcement. Each time your child successfully ‘parks’ an idea and is able to return to their work, you can praise their self-control: ‘You caught your idea and stayed on your task. That shows amazing focus!’ You can even make a small ritual of checking the ‘parked’ ideas together after their main task is done. Some of the ideas will still be worth doing, while others will have lost their importance, which is a valuable life lesson in itself. This helps to make the practice engaging and turns it into a confidence-building system rather than just another rule to follow. 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, the balance between our thoughts and our actions is considered a mark of wisdom. Our faith encourages both creativity and curiosity, but it also teaches the importance of khushu (focus) and amanah (responsibility), the quality of being able to complete what is in front of us with a sense of presence and care. 

Focus as a Form of Sacred Trust 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Israa (17), Verse 36: 

‘ And do not pursue (to meddle in matters) with which you have no knowledge; indeed, your hearing (everything you heard), your sight (everything you observed), your conscience (everything you thought), in fact, all of these (your faculties) shall be called for questioning (on the Day of Judgment).‘ 

This verse reminds us that our attention is a trust from Allah Almighty. We are all accountable for how we use our senses and our focus. Teaching a child to finish one task before they begin chasing another helps them to practise this form of mindfulness in their everyday actions. 

The Importance of Order Before Inspiration 

It is recorded in Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 1412, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Allah loves that when any of you does something, he perfects it.’ 

This teaches us that the beauty of any work lies in doing it well, not in rushing to the next idea. When we guide our children to ‘park’ a thought, we are teaching them the prophetic way of honouring each task fully before moving on to another. Every child’s mind is a fountain of ideas, and that is a great blessing. However, by showing them how to pause, write down their thought, and then return to their task, we are helping them to nurture both their creativity and their discipline.