Indian parenting is about protecting your child against all odds, providing them with the best you can afford, and making their lives better. For many parents, protection is not just about the security they provide but also about keeping their children away from failure.
A missed school bus, a poor test score or a mistake at school can quickly become a problem parents feel they need to solve. But entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo has shared a different approach to parenting — one that puts greater emphasis on independence, accountability and allowing children to experience the consequences of their choices.
Ankur Warikoo, an entrepreneur and content creator, shared an Instagram video explaining the three-parenting approach he and his wife follow for raising their two children, aged 15 and 9.
Don’t care if they go to college or not
One of the key ideas in Ankur Warikoo’s parenting approach is that he and his wife do not care whether their children go to college. Rather than treating admission to a particular college as the ultimate measure of a child's success, the focus is on allowing children to explore what interests them and how they want to learn.
{{/usCountry}}One of the key ideas in Ankur Warikoo’s parenting approach is that he and his wife do not care whether their children go to college. Rather than treating admission to a particular college as the ultimate measure of a child's success, the focus is on allowing children to explore what interests them and how they want to learn.
{{/usCountry}}Internships, hobbies, entrepreneurial projects and other experiences can also contribute to a young person's learning and development. This does not mean that formal education is unimportant. Instead, it suggests that children should have the opportunity to understand their interests before parents decide what their academic or career path should look like.
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Children should be accountable
Another approach by Warikoo is to hold them accountable for their actions. He and his wife feel that when parents don’t protect their child, the child learns.
If a child fails to get ready on time and misses the school bus, parents do not necessarily have to rush in to fix the situation. Similarly, if a student does not prepare adequately for a test, parents may not need to intervene to prevent the consequences.
The idea is not to leave children without support, but to distinguish between supporting a child and solving every problem for them. Experiencing the outcomes of their decisions can help children understand the connection between their choices and their consequences.
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Parents should make their children independent
Warikoo and his wife have ensured that their children are independent. They have encouraged their children to manage tasks such as preparing food, organising their belongings, keeping their spaces tidy and getting ready for school themselves. They are also expected to participate when guests visit by helping with tasks such as serving water or setting the table.
These may seem like small chores, but they can teach children practical skills that are difficult to learn from textbooks alone.
Being able to organise one's belongings, prepare a simple meal or take responsibility for a routine task can gradually build a sense of self-reliance.
Today’s parents can adapt this parenting approach, which is less about letting children figure everything out on their own and more about knowing when to step back. This way they can learn more, be accountable for their actions and be independent to make their own decisions.