Actor Anushka Sharma has opened up about the pressures of modern parenting, stating that she and her husband, cricketer Virat Kohli, do not consider themselves "perfect parents."
Speaking at a brand promotion event on Wednesday, Sharma shared her thoughts on embracing flaws in parenting and the importance of authenticity in raising children.
Sharma, 36, who is a mother to three-year-old daughter Vamika and six-month-old son Akaay, emphasised the importance of admitting mistakes in front of children.
"There's too much pressure to be, like, this perfect parent, and we are not perfect parents. Like, we will complain about things, and then it's okay to admit it to them (children). Just complain about it. That's my thing," she said.
The actor believes that children benefit from seeing their parents' imperfections rather than striving to live up to unrealistic standards.
“Imagine, kids having to live up to, like, ‘Oh, my parents are like...’ I feel like owning your mistakes in front of your kids,” she added.
It was Sharma's first public appearance after giving birth to her son Akaay in London on February 15. She described herself as a "chill" parent who values structure in her children's daily routines, particularly given the family's frequent travels due to their professional commitments.
"My kids, they have a lot of changes in their life. We travel a lot, so if I maintain the same routine for them, I'm giving them a sense of some sort of control in their own life," she explained. "No matter where we are, we are teaching at that time better. So I think it really helps them regulate themselves better. So, eating times are fixed."
Sharma, known for her roles in “Band Baaja Baaraat,” “Jab Tak Hai Jaan,” and “Sultan,” also revealed that she and Kohli have started focusing on passing down family recipes to their children, understanding the cultural and emotional significance of food traditions.
"We've started having this discussion at home that if we don't make the things our mom's did, then we will not be passing on these recipes, you know? So sometimes I cook, sometimes my husband cooks, and we really do try to make the way our moms did, like out of memory," she said. "I cheat a little bit, but it's so important because it's as important as giving them something from your wedding, which they will pass on to their kids."
For Sharma, the key to imparting values such as gratitude to children is to lead by example.
"My daughter is still very young, and I don't think I can teach her anything. It's how we lead our life. Are we showing gratitude in our everyday life? Are we showing that as a way of example? And she picks on that," she stated.
She further stressed that gratitude should be modelled rather than taught directly. “That comes from an egoistic space of, like, ‘I'm gonna teach you gratitude’. You learn to have gratitude, and then your kids follow through. You can always gently guide them," Sharma concluded.
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