Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan recently opened up about his and Aishwarya Rai’s parenting style for their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. In a podcast with Lily Singh, he revealed that there are no fixed roles between them when it comes to raising Aaradhya and also recalled how his daughter’s logic made him decide never to argue with her again.
Abhishek Bachchan, Aaradhya Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai BachchanAbhishek Bachchan on his and Aishwarya Rai’s parenting style
Abhishek spoke about how fathers can be lousy teachers and often let their emotions get in the way. However, he revealed that while parenting Aaradhya, he and Aishwarya prefer to lead by example. He said, “In my home, as parents, both of us try to be the best example for Aaradhya instead of telling her what is right and what is wrong. We believe in showing what to do by being that ourselves. It’s never been like, ‘Okay, I’ll teach her self-defence.’ If you’ve seen my wife, she can take care of herself. It’s never been divided like, ‘I’ll teach her self-defence, you teach her to be empathetic.’ No, it’s not that.”
He added, “It’s simply about leading a good, responsible life with your values and morals. Your child sees that, emulates it, and in that way, you’ve equipped them. So there’s no competition at home about who has to be the man or who has to be the woman. When it comes to children, we both believe you have to lead by example, not try to teach them what is right and wrong. Because what’s right for us might not be right for them. Generations change. Our world is very different, and our children’s world is going to be even more different.”
Abhishek Bachchan also recalled a parenting moment involving his daughter Aaradhya from her childhood. He shared that while they were watching television, he had asked her to bring him a glass of water. Initially distracted, like most children, she questioned him, but eventually obliged and sweetly brought it to him, after which he thanked her and gave her a kiss.
He further explained that about half an hour later, Aaradhya asked him to get her a glass of water. His instinctive response was to tell her to get it herself. However, she questioned him, asking why she could not make the same request when he had done exactly that earlier. The question left him without an answer and made him realise the fairness in her reasoning. Acknowledging her logic, he concluded that the moment taught him a lesson, and he “never butted heads with her after that”.
About Aaradhya Bachchan
Abhishek and Aishwarya tied the knot in an intimate yet grand wedding ceremony in 2007. In 2011, the couple welcomed their daughter Aaradhya.