Parenting often circles around one hard question: how much should you step in, and how much should you step back? Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo recently addressed that tension in a calm Instagram video with his wife Ruchi.
Their stance feels both grounded and quietly radical in a culture that so often equates good parenting with hovering and high academic stakes. It understands that growing up means discomfort, and that you learn competence by practice, not by being protected. Image credit: iStock
Together they shared the three approaches they follow while raising their 15-year-old and 9-year-old children. Their focus is clear; build long-term emotional strength rather than protect short-term comfort. Image credit: Instagram College is not the only measure of success Warikoo and his wife do not insist that their children must attend college. He pointed out that young people can learn a great deal outside a classroom through internships, pursuing a passion, or even starting a business. This stance does not dismiss education. It simply refuses to treat one conventional path as the only acceptable definition of success. By lowering the pressure around traditional markers, they leave space for their children to explore what interests them and how they learn best. For many parents, that also means resisting the urge to map out an entire career while a child is still figuring things out. Image credit: iStock The second approach centers on accountability. Warikoo gave everyday examples. If the children do not get ready on time, they may miss the school bus. If they do not study before an exam, they still have to sit for it, even if they risk failing. When they make mistakes or are reprimanded by a teacher, they cannot automatically expect their parents to step in and shield them. There is an important difference between supporting a child and removing every consequence. Age-appropriate results help children connect their actions with real outcomes. Over time, that connection builds a sense of responsibility that no amount of parental intervention can manufacture. Image credit: iStock From a young age the Warikoo children have been encouraged to handle everyday responsibilities. They know how to cook, clean their cupboards, organise their books and get themselves ready for school. When friends visit, they are expected to help with simple tasks such as getting water, arranging a table and serving something to their guests. These may look like small chores, but they propagate something larger: “I am capable of taking care of myself. Giving children manageable duties builds practical competence and quiet confidence without asking them to handle more than they are ready for. Image credit: iStock Taken together, the three approaches form a consistent philosophy. The goal is to prepare the child for life rather than simply for exams, institutions or adult approval. By easing pressure around conventional success, allowing natural consequences, and building day-to-day competence, Warikoo and his wife priorities emotional strength that lasts.
