Actor Anushka Sharma and cricketer Virat Kohli are not only one of the most loved celebrity couples in India, but they also set major parenting goals. Many admire the way the beloved couple are raising their two children - daughter Vamika and son Akaay.
If you want to know how the couple approaches parenting, Anushka Sharma revealed some secrets in a throwback interview with Vogue before the birth of Vamika.
Anushka Sharma's Approach To Parenting
Reflecting on her upbringing, the PK actor revealed how childhood shapes an individual's personality and the role of parenting in helping you achieve that.
"Conditioning is the most important role in how we see the world. I come from a progressive background, so that will always be a part of our home. Love is the underlying factor in our home, and what's important to us is that our child be respectful of people. You have to create that value structure. We don't want to raise brats.”
Anushka Sharma with daughter Vamika. Photo: Instagram/anushkasharma
We Work As A "Family Unit": Anushka Sharma
Reminding everyone that it is not the duties of just one parent but a shared responsibility. "We don't see it as mum and dad duties, but as a family unit. For us, it's important that our child be raised with a very balanced outlook. It is all about shared duties. I will be the primary caregiver, especially in the first few years, and that's the reality. I am self-employed and I can decide when I am working if I do one or two films a year. In Virat's case, he plays round the year. What becomes important is the time we spend together as a family.”
"Times have changed. It's important for children to look at their parents—they learn from you. And there is a sense of normalcy that both of us do work. Of course, one will have to manage things differently and more efficiently to work," she shared.
Raising The Kids Away From The Spotlight
As parents, you want to protect your kids from the harsh glare of social media and as celebrities, it becomes even more important. While some Bollywood couples don't mind putting their kid under the spotlight, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli have chosen privacy and she continues to practise it.
"We've thought about it a lot. We definitely do not want to raise a child in the public eye—we don't plan on engaging our child in social media. I think it's a decision your child should be able to take. No kid should be made to be more special than the other. It's hard enough for adults to deal with it. It's going to be difficult, but we intend to follow through."
Reflecting back on the advise she has gotten, Anushka Sharma shared, "You have to learn as you go; you can't pressurise yourself, but you have to be prepared because there will be curveballs.”
Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli are now parents to two beautiful children - daughter Vamika who is 4 years now and baby son Akaay who is 15 months old.