Kiara Advani on raising a daughter: ‘Would want her to see a very full life’

Kiara Advani embraced motherhood recently and, in her first podcast interview since, shared her parenting philosophy—especially on raising a girl child in today’s day and age. When asked how she would raise her daughter, Saraayah, to deal with today’s men, the War 2 actor told host Raj Shamani, “I grew up seeing my mom and dad together. They were each other’s first boyfriend and girlfriend. So, subconsciously, I felt like that is how it should be. You have one partner, you marry them and have kids with them. So, everyone I dated, I felt like I’m going to marry them.”

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.

“But life doesn’t turn out like that. All those relationships that you have growing up teach you something in life. They eventually make you the person that you are. So, I feel I would want her to see a very full life. I don’t want her to feel like she has to date only one person. There’s no restriction. I would like to bring her up in a way that lets her make all the choices, much like how my parents did, but without any preconceived notion of how it’s meant to be,” she further added.

Rima Bhandekar, psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, told indianexpress.com that good parenting is all about striking the right balance between guiding and being overprotective.

“As parents, it is quite natural to feel like your child needs protection and shelter all the time, but teaching them to be independent and letting them learn through the mistakes they make can help raise emotionally intelligent and capable children,” she said. According to her, supportive parenting is the way to go, echoing what Advani said in the interview. “It is all about asking your child what they want to be, without adding “you should” right after,” Bhandekar said.

The importance of space and independence

Supportive parenting is one of the strongest predictors of a child confidently choosing their own career, even if it diverges from parental legacy or societal expectations. Such parents create space for their children to explore what truly feels right by offering resources, encouragement, and emotional stability, while withholding judgement tied to tradition, social status, prestige, or money.

This doesn’t mean parents shy away from discussing real-world concerns. Instead, they guide their children through a process of critical evaluation, communicating trust, respect, and confidence in their ability to make informed decisions.

Bhandekar noted that such an approach helps children understand that their self-worth isn’t dependent on fulfilling someone else’s dream, but on pursuing their own passion. As a result, they are better equipped to face setbacks and persist through challenges.

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“They are more likely to stand firm in their choices, thanks to the nurturing space created by parents who value who they are—not just what they achieve. They pursue careers with purpose, not just to secure any available job. They grow into adults who work with zeal, not out of obligation to others,” she explained.

Striking the balance

According to Bhandekar, active listening is a crucial part of effective parenting. “Listen to understand their views, not to redirect or fix. Be curious about what excites them, and support their explorations, stumbles, and changes as they figure things out,” she said. Having faith in your child’s career choice is vital, even if you don’t fully understand it yourself.

“Let their failure be a learning point, not the end of the story – the definition of success is different for everyone, and comparison doesn’t always help,” said the psychologist, concluding that a content child is more successful than a stressed one.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.