How do I help my child understand that every place and moment does not need to be filled with stimulation? 

Parenting Perspective 

In a world of constant noise and distraction, many children find it difficult to sit with silence or stillness. This need for perpetual stimulation whether it is background noise, a screen in the car, or the constant question of ‘What is next?’ can become the norm. However, a child who is uncomfortable with calm often struggles to self-regulate, focus, or simply feel at ease in their own company. 

Helping your child build this capacity is not about forcing boredom or eliminating fun; it is about gently expanding their tolerance for quiet presence. 

Modelling a Calm Presence 

Like most things in parenting, this change begins with what you model. If your child sees you sometimes sitting quietly with a cup of tea, looking out of the window with a soft expression, or pausing to take a breath before moving to the next task, that quietness becomes a normal part of their emotional landscape. 

What to Gently Explain to Your Child 

Children need language to understand what is happening inside them. You can offer gentle explanations that normalise stillness: 

• ‘It is okay to feel a little bored sometimes. That is when your brain has space to get creative.’ 

• ‘Not every moment has to be full of activity. Empty moments are how we can hear our own thoughts.’ 

You can also use transitions to introduce calm. After an exciting outing, try dimming the lights when you arrive home. After screen time, play some soft, instrumental nasheeds or recite Quran together. Quiet does not have to feel jarring; it can be made to feel inviting. 

Helping Them Settle into Stillness 

Create small, predictable windows of calm in your daily routine: 

• A few minutes of quiet drawing or reading before bed. 

• Listening to a short Quran recitation in the car without speaking. 

• Lying on the grass together, just watching the clouds move. 

These small practices build your child’s emotional muscle, teaching them that they do not need to be constantly entertained to feel content. You are not just helping them regulate their senses in the present; you are giving them the lifelong gift of being able to find their own peace, even when the world around them is overwhelming. 

Spiritual Insight 

One of the most profound lessons in Islam is that blessings (barakah) are often found in what is slow, quiet, and consistent. In a world addicted to noise, helping your child become comfortable with silence is a vital form of spiritual upbringing (tarbiyyah). 

Inner Remembrance in Stillness 

This verse reminds us that our connection with Allah does not always require loud, outward expression. The deepest form of remembrance often begins in the quiet stillness of our own hearts. Teaching a child to slow down, breathe, and listen inwardly is to teach them how to connect with Allah. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al A’raf (7), Verse 205: 

‘And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech, in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless…’ 

Calmness from Allah, Haste from Shaytaan 

This Hadith is a powerful reminder that a state of calm is not emptiness; it is a reflection of a divine attribute. Haste and a constant need for stimulation, on the other hand, are from Shaytaan. 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 2012, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Calmness and patient deliberation is from Allah, while haste is from Shaytaan.’ 

When we encourage our children to tolerate unfilled moments, we are helping them move closer to the qualities of patience, thoughtfulness, and presence qualities that are deeply beloved by Allah Almighty.