Parenting Perspective 

An interruption in public is usually not an act of defiance; it is often a child’s attempt to connect, gain control, or find relief from boredom. When a child senses your attention shifting away, they may rush to pull it back at an inconvenient moment. Your goal is to protect the dignity of everyone involved: the speaker, your child, and yourself. Your approach should follow a steady sequence: prepare, signal, contain, offer a temporary place for their words, and later, repair. 

Prepare a ‘Listening Plan’ Beforehand 

Before an event, establish a simple plan: ‘When someone is speaking, our job is to use our eyes and ears, and keep our hands quiet. If you need me, tap my elbow once and wait.’ Practise the elbow tap at home so the action becomes familiar. Discuss where you will sit, the duration of the talk, and have a quiet activity ready for waiting periods. Predictability lowers a child’s urge to interrupt. 

Use a Silent Signal in the Moment 

When your child begins to interrupt, avoid shushing them publicly. Instead, turn slightly towards them, place a calm hand on their shoulder, and whisper, ‘Hold that thought. Use the elbow signal.’ Maintain gentle eye contact for a couple of seconds before turning your attention back to the speaker. This teaches your child that requests should wait for an appropriate opening, not just the loudest moment. 

Give the Words Somewhere to Go 

Interruptions often carry genuine thoughts or worries. Instead of a lecture, offer a tool to contain them, such as a small notepad to draw the idea, a ‘Save it’ card to hold up, or a muted voice memo on a phone to “store” the thought. You can say, ‘Park it here for now. I will listen at the next pause.’ It is crucial that you are reliable and return to their note when a break occurs. 

Offer a Role, Not Just a Refusal 

An unoccupied child is more likely to become disruptive. Give them a small, short-term role, such as being the timekeeper for applause, the official programme holder, or a ‘seat anchor’ whose job is to stay still and count their breaths. Purposeful focus can redirect the urge to interrupt into a quiet contribution. Acknowledge their help promptly: ‘You were a very strong seat anchor. Thank you.’ 

Contain Without Humiliation 

If the interruptions continue, stand up slowly, take a half-step aside with your child, and say in a low, brief voice, ‘We need to pause our voice. We must give the speaker their right.’ Take two slow breaths together, guide them to use the elbow tap, and then return to your seats. Public lectures or threats can cause embarrassment and often make the behaviour worse. 

Reinforce With a Promised Window 

At the next natural pause, fulfil your promise. Kneel to make eye contact and invite them to speak. ‘Thank you for waiting. You can tell me in one sentence.’ If the matter can wait longer, jot it down on the ‘Save it’ card to discuss after the event. Trust is built when your child learns that waiting leads to being genuinely heard. 

Debrief and Rehearse Briefly Later 

Afterwards, when you are in a private space, debrief kindly: ‘It can be tempting to jump in when there are lots of people around. Next time, let us use the elbow tap and the ‘Save it’ card, and I will listen at the pause.’ Briefly rehearse these skills at home so they are better prepared under pressure. Conclude by acknowledging a small success: ‘You held the elbow tap for ten seconds. That was very mature.’ 

Spiritual Insight 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Mujadilah (58), Verse 11: 

‘O you who are believers, when it is said to you: “Make space for each other in the gatherings”, then try to accommodate each other; (and conversely) Allah (Almighty) shall accommodate you (with His mercy); and when it is said to you: “Arise (to do good)”, then enable yourselves (to do that good); (and in return) Allah (Almighty) shall elevate those who are believers amongst you, and those people who are given the knowledge (of existential reality) in various stages…”’ 

This verse teaches the etiquette (adab) of gatherings: to give others their rights, honour order, and respect moments of knowledge. Guiding a child to wait, make room for others to speak, and rejoin a conversation at the right moment is a practical application of this verse. You can frame it gently: ‘In gatherings, we give others space, and then Allah Almighty gives us space and honour.’ In this way, listening becomes an act of worship, not merely etiquette, and your calm boundary protects both the speaker’s dignity and your child’s spiritual development. 

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 6018, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.’ 

This guidance offers a simple compass for your child: words should either be helpful or they should wait. You can translate this into a child-friendly rule: ‘We speak when it is helpful, and we hold our words when it is not.’ Your practical tools—the elbow tap, the ‘Save it’ card, and the promised listening time—make silence feel safe rather than like being ignored. When you follow through with a warm listening moment, you demonstrate that silence was not a rejection, but a bridge to being heard properly. 

Apply these steps with consistency and compassion. Over time, your child will learn that confidence includes restraint, that gatherings have a right to peace, and that giving others the floor is a form of excellence (ihsan). Through this learning, your home and community will gain serenity, and your child’s voice will grow wiser, kinder, and more deeply trusted—the fruit of practising the guidance of the noble Quran and the way of the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.