Beyond Expectations: What Really Matters in Raising Happy Children

Send us Fan MailLongtime friends Ashwin and Keerthi share their experiences raising a six-year-old son while balancing tech careers, discussing how parenthood has transformed them and the strategies they've developed to navigate modern parenting challenges.• Both discovered parenthood required more patience than expected, with Ashwin noting they take turns managing difficult situations when one loses their patience• They use social media videos to discourage excessive screen time, showing their son examples of children behaving poorly when devices are taken away• Keerthi takes a firm approach with food battles: "This is mealtime. If you're not eating, the kitchen is closed until dinner"• Ashwin cleverly encourages vegetable consumption by using peer influence in social settings• They teach values like kindness and respect through real-life examples rather than abstract concepts• The couple appreciates grandparents' support while navigating different generational opinions on parenting• Their parenting philosophy focuses on happiness rather than specific achievements: "Expectations kill stuff"• Final advice: enjoy the journey, provide healthy boundaries, teach responsibility and empathy, then let children lead their own livesSubscribe to the Inspired Life Podcast and follow us on Instagram @theInspiredLifePodcast for more inspiring conversations. If you have an unconventional story to share, reach out—you might be our next guest!Support the showIf you like what you hear, subscribe and follow us on Spotify, iTunes and Amazonmusic. A new episode will come out every 1st and 15th of a month. You can also follow us on Instagram on theinspiredlifepodcast. If you want to mail me to discuss some of the things we are talking here or have a story to share on this podcast, email me at [email protected]. This is Deepika and I thank you for listening.