Recently, actor Aamir Khan shared that to his children—Junaid, Ira, and Azad—he is not a superstar but simply a parent who wants them to grow into confident, sensitive, and emotionally strong individuals. Rather than constantly pressuring them to become academic toppers, Aamir believes children should be encouraged to be happy, compassionate, and true to themselves. It is no surprise that his parenting philosophy resonates with many parents who struggle to raise their children in a world that places overwhelming emphasis on measurable achievement, academic merit, and success in an intensely competitive environment.

Children barely out of kindergarten are shepherded into tuition classes designed to sharpen their mathematical and scientific skills, often leaving little room for other disciplines. By Class 10, the race intensifies, with engineering and medical entrance examinations looming so large that many students feel their entire future depends on clearing them. We are witnessing a disturbing culture that hothouses children instead of letting them develop at their own pace. Teenagers spend long hours shuttling between schools and coaching centres, sacrificing hobbies, sports, sleep, and emotional well-being. Freighted with increasingly high-stakes social expectations, adolescence has become an age of Sturm und........

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