It is natural for your children to have a favourite parent during their early ages. It happens when your child feels more connected to one parent, which often can be heartbreaking for one who suddenly feels left out.
Recently, television actor Nakuul Mehta opened up on the matter in his podcast, The Indian Parent POD Sufi and Folks, with his co-host and wife, Jankee Parekh Mehta. The couple welcomed son Sufi in 2021 and daughter Rumi this year.
In the video posted on Instagram, Jankee asked her husband, “No one talks about what it's like to be the second-preferred parent. Do you want to talk about it?”
In response, Nakuul revealed, “That hits home. In all the fun things, he's (Sufi) always looking to do it with his daada. But when he's in agony, he'll bypass me and just run to you. It can sometimes really break my heart.”
To this, Jankee revealed three things the couple practices “to make sure that Sufi wants his dada as much as he wants his mamma.” This involves Jankee taking a voluntary “step back” from certain activities so that Sufi spends more time with his father.
Establish Dadda And Sufi Time: Nakuul admitted that “there are some special things” that Sufi is only allowed to do with him, where Jankee doesn't get involved, so that the father-son bond is strengthened. “Every sport he plays, which is swimming to football to cricket and outdoors, he does with me,” revealed Nakuul
Started Taking A Step Back: “I have slowly and steadily taken a step back and let you take the lead in many things. Whether it's bedtime or bath, whether he's going through a tantrum, I step back and make sure that you are the one who comforts him,” added Jankee.
Avoid Taking Preferences Personally: On a concluding note, Nakuul shared that even though he sometimes ponders on how to become Sufi's favourite parent, he has slowly learnt not to take his son's parental preferences to heart. “It's a phase, but he needs to know that he feels safe, secure and at peace and love with both of us. And he feels at home with both of us,” justified the actor.
On their podcast, Jankee and Nakuul Mehta talk about new-age parenting, challenges, and how they are navigating parenthood with a modern lens.
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