Namita Thapar, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director and ‘Shark Tank India’ judge, recently posted sincere insights on LinkedIn following a watch of the Netflix show ‘Adolescence.’ Being a mother of two teenage sons, 19 and 14 years old, Thapar explored the complexities of contemporary parenting and the inadvertent pressures that children face.
In her “MY TAKE ON PARENTING” post, Thapar highlighted the sensitive nature of teenagers, indicating that they may internalize their parents’ expectations. She noticed that when kids feel like they are not living up to these expectations, it can produce immense emotional pain, which shows itself in either self-destructive tendencies or aggression. Thapar openly discussed personal experiences, remembering how her mother’s good intentions to get her enrolled in different classes unintentionally left permanent emotional wounds. Likewise, her father’s action of shifting her to another school embarrassed her, leading to years of low self-esteem and emotional eating.
Learning from these experiences, Thapar emphasized the need to build confidence in children. She promoted a balanced parenting style, proposing that although it’s important to talk and share pride in one’s children, it’s also important not to over-schedule and over-pressure. She drew on principles from ‘The Self-Driven Child,’ proposing that parents give children independence while offering steady support. Thapar also warned about idealizing overtime work, writing, “Say NO to 70-hour weeks or if you want that life, say NO to being a parent!
Hindustan Times
Her frank musings found resonance with numerous social media users, who started debating the compromise between professional goals and family life. Thapar’s remarks are a reminder of the profound influence parenting strategies have on the mental and emotional lives of children.
