Our child started whispering instead of speaking normally, almost as if afraid of disrupting the quiet. Could they be internalising our emotional withdrawal? 

Parenting Perspective 

Understanding the Behaviour 

Certainly, when a child abruptly alters their behaviour or reduces their voice without being instructed, it frequently reflects their emotions rather than the lessons they have been explicitly taught. Whispering could be your child’s way of coping to a situation in which emotional connection has been replaced by tension, silence, or emotional detachment. They are reacting not only to noise levels, but also to the emotional tone of the environment. If joy, laughter, and affection have dwindled, your child may subconsciously assume that speaking up, expressing themselves, or being fully present is unacceptable. 

A Strategy for Re-establishing Safety 

The objective is not to compel them to “speak up,” but rather to re-establish the emotional safety that enables them to do so in a natural manner. Begin by softly initiating conversation with warmth and presence. When they whisper, react gently but confidently, allowing room for their voice without treating it as an issue. At the same time, demonstrate mild interactions with your spouse, such as small moments of eye contact, shared anecdotes, or smiles across the dinner table. Children can speak freely in households where emotions are allowed to flow. Bring life back into the emotional landscape, and their voice will emerge. 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, both quiet and speech are important, but neither should be motivated by fear. A child’s gentleness should be fostered, not inherited from anxiety or emotional absence. 

In Surah Al Nisa (4), Verse 9, Allah Almighty says: 

‘And let those people (who are the guardians and executors of orphans) be anxious; as if they had left behind them offspring who were feeble (morally and intellectually), and they were concerned about their (future); so (act in such a manner) that you may attained piety from Allah (Almighty), and speak with (the (poor and the orphans,with) appropriate words of comfort.’ 

This verse advises parents to be cautious of what they are instilling in their children’s hearts. Emotional patterns, particularly those that remain unacknowledged, become hereditary scripts. It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2891, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘A good word is charity. ‘

Allow such compassion to permeate your home, not just via words said loudly, but also through the emotional space you make for your child to express freely. When you restore warmth and presence, you allow your child to express themselves fully – not just in sound, but also in spirit.