How to Give Your Full Attention Without Rushing Them 

Parenting Perspective 

When a child speaks slowly or wanders off-topic, it can test a parent’s patience, especially when there are many other demands competing for attention. Although there are a number of tasks pending to be done but the child requires full attention while they share something with you. Yet for the child, these moments of talking are not only about sharing information. They are about feeling heard, valued, and important in their parent’s eyes. If a child senses impatience, even subtly, they may begin to hold back or feel that their words are not worth listening to.

 

Shift from Efficiency to Connection 

A practical step is to shift your goal from efficiency to connection. Instead of thinking, ‘I need to hear the point quickly,’ remind yourself, ‘This is my child’s way of inviting me into their world.’ Slowing down in this way reframes the interaction as an opportunity for relationship-building rather than a task to complete. 

If your time is genuinely limited, you can still balance honesty with care. For example, you might say, ‘I want to hear everything you have to say, but right now I need to finish something. Can we talk properly after dinner?’ This communicates value without creating pressure, and it reassures the child that you will return to listen fully. 

Use Non-Verbal Cues 

During conversations, use non-verbal cues such as eye contact, nodding, or gentle expressions to show you are attentive, even when you are not speaking. This helps your child feel respected, even if they take time to express themselves. 

Patience grows with practice, and the more you remind yourself that listening is part of loving, the easier it becomes to slow down. Over time, your calm presence will teach your child that their voice has worth, no matter the pace or direction of their words. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam places strong emphasis on listening with gentleness and patience. Rushing others, especially children, can undermine their dignity. Patience in listening is not only a parenting skill but also an act of mercy. 

A Reminder That Impatience Can Feel Like Ridicule 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Hujuraat (49), verse 11: 

‘Those of you who are believers, do not let a nation ridicule another nation, as perhaps it may be that they are better than them….’ 

Although this Verse speaks broadly about mocking, it also reminds us that showing irritation or belittling others’ manner of speaking contradicts the respect that every believer deserves. For a child, impatience can feel like ridicule. Holding back from rushing them preserves their dignity and nurtures trust. 

The Prophetic Model: Gentleness in Listening 

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

‘Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness in all things.’ 

[Sunan Ibn Majah,33:33] 

The holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ listened with patience, even when companions repeated themselves or spoke at length. His example teaches that gentleness in listening is part of embodying prophetic character. 

By slowing down, you are not only giving your child time. You are giving them the gift of being valued. That gift strengthens both their confidence and your bond with them, and it is remembered long after the conversation ends.