Women from various walks of life recently delved into the evolving landscape of modern parenting, questioning whether today's approaches are adequately preparing children for real-world challenges. The discussion highlighted the shift from traditional authoritative styles to more communicative yet potentially overprotective methods, exacerbated by social media's pervasive influence. 

They agreed that while communication has improved—allowing children to express feelings and fostering emotional strength—parents often err toward hyper protection, cushioning failures and intervening excessively. A lady in the field of overseas educational consultancy pointed out  that smartphones and overprotective "safetyism" have contributed to rising anxiety, depression, and suicides among youth born in the late 1990s and beyond. 

She also explained how the world has transformed dramatically, with increased academic competition, instant social media comparisons and the decline of joint families contributing to heightened parental anxiety. By preventing children from experiencing small failures in safe environments, she said, parents hinder their ability to recover from setbacks, leading to entitlement and meltdowns in adulthood. 

"We're not really preparing them for the real world," she  said, noting that this hyper protectiveness prevents kids from learning resilience and recovery from setbacks. She emphasized the need for a balanced strategy that allows kids to experience manageable failures in a safe environment, fostering resilience early on. A senior female teacher echoed concerns about boundaries, emphasizing that parents often hesitate to say "no" to their children due to work exhaustion or fear of conflict. 

She warned that inconsistent discipline—where "no" eventually turns into "yes"—can lead to entitled adults. She also stressed the importance of instilling universal values like politeness, honesty, and good habits from an early age, adding that early brain development makes the first eight years critical for habit formation. She critiqued the trend of treating young children as "best friends" rather than providing necessary guidance. 

She also addressed the influence of extended family in joint households, where grandparents might undermine parental authority, complicating efforts to instill discipline. They attributed rising anxiety and mental health issues among youth to overprotection and the inability to handle failure. The consultant shared experiences with college-bound students who view minor setbacks as catastrophic, linking this to parental interventions in school matters, friendships, and daily challenges. 

The discussion also touched on softened educational feedback, with elaborate, sugar-coated report cards replacing straightforward marks. Social media emerged as a major "third parent," fueling peer pressure, instant gratification, and reduced attention spans. A female startup entrepreneur described how children face overwhelming demands to perform academically, look perfect, and maintain social popularity, pressures amplified by public displays of achievements and invitations online. 

She explained how internet bombards children with uncontrolled information, fostering instant gratification and shortened attention spans, contrasting it with the controlled knowledge access of past generations. However, one opinion agreed upon was that delayed gratification and patience are skills many modern kids lack. Despite the criticisms, the ladies highlighted positives in new age parenting. 

Greater communication allows children to express emotions and individualism, unlike older generations where "children were seen and not heard." Expanded career choices— from AI, cybersecurity and robotics to UI/UX design and product management—enable passions to become professions. Gender roles are becoming more fluid, with less bias against boys pursuing humanities or arts, and parents increasingly open to gap years and diverse paths.

However, challenges persist, including parental over-involvement in college applications (with humorous anecdotes of parents writing essays) and passing on unfulfilled dreams or anxieties. The discussion confirmed that while today's youth have unprecedented opportunities and global awareness, unconditional love, open communication, and balanced guidance remain key to good parenting.