Parenting Perspective 

It can be worrying or even embarrassing to hear from a teacher that your child tends to rush through their work and guess the answers. However, your response to this feedback matters deeply. It is crucial that your child feels you are on their side, rather than simply piling on more criticism when they get home from school. Your support can transform this feedback from a blow to their confidence into an opportunity for growth. 

Responding Calmly to the Teacher’s Report 

Your first step is to show your child that you see this feedback not as a punishment, but as helpful guidance. This frames the issue as a skill to be worked on, keeping the focus on improvement rather than blame. 

• ‘Your teacher mentioned that you sometimes rush your work. That is useful information, as it means we can practise how to slow down together.’ 

Exploring the ‘Why’ Behind the Rushing 

Children often rush their work for underlying reasons that are not immediately obvious. Asking gentle, curious questions helps you to understand the root cause of the behaviour. 

• They might want to be the first one to finish. 

• They may fear getting the answer wrong, so they guess quickly to avoid the feeling of struggle. 

• They might find the task boring or overwhelming. 

You could ask: ‘What does it feel like for you when you are doing those questions? Does it sometimes feel like you want to get them over with as fast as possible?’ 

Practising ‘Slow and Careful’ at Home 

Create short, low-pressure practice sessions at home where the explicit goal is care over speed. During these times, make sure you praise their accuracy and effort far more than their speed or the number of questions they complete. 

• You can time them to see how many answers they can get right in five minutes when working slowly and carefully. 

• Use encouraging phrases like, ‘Careful work is smart work.’ 

Modelling Supportive Encouragement 

If you react with harsh criticism, your child may be tempted to rush even more, simply to ‘get it over with’ and end the stressful situation. Instead, reassure them that you value thoughtful work. 

• ‘I would much rather you complete three careful answers than ten rushed ones.’ 

• ‘It is perfectly okay to take your time. In our family, accuracy matters more than speed.’ 

• Child: ‘But the teacher said I guessed on my work.’ Parent: ‘That is okay. That just tells us we need to practise slowing down our brains. Let us try these next three questions together and see how super-careful we can be.’ 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that true success, whether in worship or in worldly tasks, is found in steadiness, sincerity, and accuracy (itqan), not in rushing through our actions. This same principle can be beautifully applied to a child’s learning. 

Avoiding Haste 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Israa (17), Verses 11: 

‘And mankind (sometimes) prays for the occurrence of evil (upon others), and (sometimes) praise for the occurrence of goodness; and indeed, mankind is (frivolous and) hasty (in their judgements).‘ 

This verse reminds us that haste is a part of our created human nature, but that we are called by our faith to rise above it and act with thoughtfulness and deliberation. 

The Prophet ﷺ Valued Balance 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2594, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Gentleness is not in anything except that it beautifies it, and it is not removed from anything except that it makes it defective.’ 

This hadith teaches that a gentle approach makes any interaction more beautiful and effective. Approaching a child’s academic mistakes with calmness, instead of with pressure and harshness, will not only be more effective but will also preserve their confidence and love for learning. 

By supporting your child with calm encouragement, you are teaching them that slowing down is not a sign of failure, but a mark of wisdom. Over time, they will learn that accuracy and patience are true strengths that will serve them well in their studies, their life, and their faith.