Shark Tank India judge and Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Namita Thapar has sparked a wide conversation on parenting, emotional well-being, and work-life balance through a deeply personal LinkedIn post inspired by the Netflix miniseries Adolescence.
Reflecting on her own experiences as a mother of two teenage boys (aged 19 and 14), Thapar said the show’s portrayal of damaged parent-child dynamics struck a nerve. “Kids are fragile… if they believe their parents are ashamed of them, it creates intense internal turmoil,” she wrote. “Combined with peer bullying, this pain can erupt—either inwardly or outwardly.”
Thapar pointed to the show’s character Jamie, who felt unworthy due to his father’s pressure to excel in sports. The real wound, she said, was the father’s silence and lack of emotional reassurance.
Drawing parallels from her childhood, Thapar recounted how her mother, though well-meaning, pushed her toward femininity—through singing, dance, and posture classes—because of her tomboyish traits. “Their intent was good, but it left me with low self-esteem and emotional eating habits,” she admitted. “I recovered. Not everyone does.”
Quoting The Self-Driven Child, she emphasized: “Stop trying to fix your kids. Just over-communicate your pride in them.” She strongly advocated for early intervention if confidence dips: “CONFIDENCE IS THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE.”
Thapar ended with a powerful message to ambitious professionals: “If you want 70-90 hour workweeks, don’t become a parent. Kids need time.”
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