Warsi recalled when he started smoking, he did not feel the need to hide it from his father.
22 Sept 2026 | 14:56 When asked whether his father was a tough parent and how he disciplined him, Warsi gave an answer that went against the usual idea of strict parenting. Because there was never that fear that if I said something, my parents would catch me and beat me, i never needed to lie. Because they are no longer listening to us, “The moment they develop a brain and an opinion, we start fighting with them.
It may give children more room to be honest, think for themselves and even challenge their parents, according to Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi. “I’m telling you, he disciplined me by not disciplining me,” he said. Explaining what he meant, Warsi said, “When you put too many rules and regulations around somebody, that person always starts thinking about breaking the rules. That fear was never there,” he said. “So, when I started smoking, I told my dad, ‘I smoke. He told me, ‘Don’t. He said, ‘It will spoil your health. I said, ‘Yes, I have tried it. ’” His father’s response was not what one might expect. “He said, ‘Then do one thing. “He just told me, ‘You don’t know what is good and what is not. I like that approach with my kids too,” he said. That is also how Warsi says he tries to speak to his own children. “I think you should not discipline children too much,” he said. “What often happens is that we like our children as long as they have no opinion. ” According to Warsi, the dynamic can change once children begin questioning their parents. You are trying to show your power as a parent,” he said. “Maybe your opinion is wrong,” he said, laughing.
What happens when parents stop trying to win every argument with their children? The actor spoke in a podcast with Raj Shamani about the way his father raised him and why he has carried some of those lessons into his own parenting. He believes children do not always need more rules. Sometimes, too many rules can make them more determined to break them. My dad never did that. For Warsi, one of the biggest benefits of growing up without constant fear of punishment was that he did not feel the need to lie to his parents. “I proudly tell my children that, in my entire life, I never lied to my parents. I never lied. Ever. Warsi recalled one example from his own youth. When he started smoking, he did not feel the need to hide it from his father. Why do you do it?’” he recalled. Warsi also remembered what happened when his father found out that he had started drinking. “He found out and asked me, ‘Do you drink? Sit with me and have good alcohol. Why go outside and pay money to drink bad alcohol?’” Warsi still remembers his father’s response. You are not a stupid kid. Arshad Warsi with his family. “I tell them, ‘You know what? You are not a kid or a stupid person.’” He believes parents can sometimes become uncomfortable when children stop simply following instructions and start forming opinions of their own. He believes parents should also ask themselves what is really happening during such disagreements. “But the reality is that you are not correcting the child. The thought behind the argument, he suggested, is often: “My child is not listening to me. But Warsi believes parents should also consider another possibility. “Maybe that is why the child is not listening. “We never think like that. We never think, ‘Maybe I am wrong. Maybe the child is right. That is where we make a mistake.”
“We often make the mistake of thinking, ‘This person is 50 years old, so he must know more. He could be a 50-year-old idiot. You may have achieved something at 10 or 20 that he did not achieve even by the age of 70.
Because of their age, but age alone does not mean they know more, “You give an older person respect. Because he was in boarding school, as I said, I think he was an all-right person. ” He also recalled that he did not spend a lot of time with his parents while growing up.
They do it all the time,” he said with a laugh. “All kids think their parents are idiots,” he said. “There is a huge difference in age and experience,” Warsi said. “So how did he suddenly become wiser than you just because he is old?” he asked. That’s the reality,” he said. Asked whether he sometimes finds himself behaving like his father, he said, “In a way, yes. He was like that,” he said.
Warsi was then asked whether he was comfortable with his own children challenging his opinions. “One hundred per cent. For him, a child disagreeing with a parent is not automatically a problem. “I think it should be like that. His reasoning comes down to the difference between age and actual experience. He does not believe being older automatically means knowing more. No. He continued, “Maybe he has done nothing in his life. “I think that easiness, that relaxed attitude and that humour are my dad’s. When asked what he loved about his father that he had unknowingly picked up, Warsi jokingly answered, “Having a drink every night. He quickly added, “No, no. Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day. Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.
Warsi also sees parts of his father in the way he behaves today.