What should my child say when peers mock accents or speech differences? 

Parenting Perspective 

When children witness someone being mocked for their accent or manner of speaking, they often freeze, unsure whether to laugh along, remain silent, or intervene. Equipping your child with words they can use in these moments gives them the courage to stand against unkindness, without making them feel as though they must become a hero in every situation. Your aim is to provide them with respectful scripts that can stop the ridicule and protect the person being targeted. 

Teach Them to Name the Wrong Without Shaming the Person 

Coach your child to call out the behaviour, not to attack the person doing it. 

• ‘That is not funny. Please stop.’ 

• ‘In our family, we do not make fun of how people speak.’ 

• ‘Everyone’s voice deserves respect. Let us move on.’ 

These short, clear phrases keep the focus on the act of mocking itself, rather than escalating the situation into a fight with the person who made the comment. 

Encourage Them to Show Direct Support to the Person Targeted 

If your child feels too shy to challenge the group directly, they can achieve the same goal by turning to the person being mocked and offering them kindness. For example, they could say, ‘I really liked the story you were telling. Will you tell me more?’ This simple act shifts the group’s attention back towards respect and can make the person who was mocked feel significantly less alone. 

Teach Courage Without Placing a Heavy Burden 

Remind your child that speaking up once is enough; they do not have to win an argument or convince everyone in the group to change their minds. Their job is simply to protect the dignity of another person in that moment. Sometimes, the most powerful action is to walk away with the person who was being mocked and offer them quiet support. 

Model This Respect Yourself 

Children are highly observant of how adults respond to differences. Be mindful of how you speak about people with different accents or speech patterns. Use words of appreciation, such as, ‘Is it not beautiful how many different ways there are of speaking around the world?’ This helps to normalise a culture of respect in your home. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam honours the diversity of humanity and warns in the strongest terms against mocking others for their differences in appearance, background, or speech. Helping your child to learn respectful responses is a practical way of raising them to guard the dignity of others, as Allah Almighty commands. 

The Quran on Respecting Differences 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Hujuraat (49), Verses 13: 

‘O mankind, indeed, We (Allah Almighty) have created you all from one man and one woman; and placed you amongst various nations and tribes for your introduction to each other; indeed, the best of you in the judgement of Allah (Almighty) is the one who is most virtuous…’ 

This verse reminds us that our diversity is a sign of Allah’s magnificent design, not a reason for mockery. By teaching your child to respond to differences with respect, you are aligning them with this beautiful Quranic vision of honouring diversity as a pathway to mutual understanding. 

The Prophet ﷺon Avoiding Harmful Words 

It is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawood, 4882, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘It is enough evil for a man to hold his Muslim brother in contempt.’ 

This hadith shows that the act of looking down on someone, whether for how they speak, look, or act, is a serious wrong. Training your child to say, ‘That is not funny, please stop,’ or to stand kindly with the person being mocked, is a small but direct way of keeping this contempt out of their words and actions. 

By weaving these teachings into your parenting, you show your child that protecting others from mockery is not just about being polite; it is an act of worship.