Parenting Perspective 

It can be a true test of a parent’s patience when a teenager repeatedly leaves their homework until the very last minute. The resulting stress, arguments, and late nights can make you want to scold them, but criticism is rarely an effective tool for changing long-term habits. What your teenager truly needs is guidance that teaches them responsibility without damaging the trust between you. 

Staying Calm and Avoiding Lectures 

When your teenager finally admits that they have left their work too late, it is crucial to resist the powerful urge to say, ‘I told you so.’ Instead, acknowledge the reality of the situation with a calm, problem-solving approach. 

• ‘That sounds like a stressful situation. Let us figure out a plan for how you can manage it tonight.’ 

This approach allows you to remain supportive while still letting the natural consequences of their actions deliver the most important lesson. 

Guiding Time Management Step-by-Step 

Help your teenager to break down the overwhelming task into a series of smaller, more manageable parts. By helping them to structure their work in this way, you are modelling an essential skill that they can eventually use independently. 

• First, write a quick list of everything that needs to be done. 

• Next, estimate how long each small part is likely to take. 

• Finally, prioritise the list, tackling the most urgent or important pieces first. 

Allowing Natural Consequences to Teach 

It is important that you do not always rescue them from the results of their poor planning. If they receive lower marks for a rushed assignment or have to explain their lateness to a teacher, the experience becomes a powerful, real-world motivator to start earlier next time. 

Acting as a Coach, Not a Controller 

Instead of hovering over them while they work, which can increase tension, offer your support in a less intrusive way. This provides a sense of accountability without adding unhelpful pressure. 

• ‘I will check in with you in twenty minutes to see how the first part is going.’ 

• ‘Would it help if I timed you for short, focused bursts of work?’ 

• Teen: ‘I have a huge project due tomorrow, and I have not even started.’ Parent: (Calmly) ‘That is a tough spot to be in. Let us break it into a few clear steps so you can at least hand in something that is complete.’ 

Spiritual Insight 

A teenager’s tendency to delay their homework can be frustrating, but it is also a mirror of the wider human condition: we are all prone to procrastination. Islam teaches a balanced approach, encouraging us to be patient with one another while also emphasising the importance of responsible, steady effort. 

The Value of Doing Work on Time 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Asr (103), Verses 2–3: 

‘ Indeed, mankind shall surely (remain in a state of) deprivation (moral deficit), except for those people who are believers and undertake virtuous acts; and encouraging (cultivating within themselves and with one another the realisation and dissemination of) the truth and encouraging (cultivating within themselves and with one another the realisation and accomplishment of) resilience.‘ 

This surah is a profound reminder that time is our most precious commodity, and that using it wisely is a defining characteristic of those who live in truth and patience. 

The Prophet ﷺ on Balance and Effort 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 79, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Be eager for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not be helpless.’ 

This hadith encourages us to be strong believers by taking responsibility, eagerly seeking out what benefits us, and avoiding a state of helplessness. It is a direct call to action rather than procrastination. 

By remaining patient and guiding your teenager towards better habits, you demonstrate that a mistake is not a final failure, but an opportunity to learn. Over time, they will see that steady, timely work brings a sense of peace, both in their studies and in their spiritual life.