Namita Thapar, Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals and judge on Shark Tank India, has stirred a fresh debate on parenting and mental health after watching the Netflix’s popular series “Adolescence”. Known for her professional acumen, Thapar took to LinkedIn to reflect on her personal experiences as a mother of two teenage boys, aged 19 and 14, tying them to the deeper issues explored in the show—especially the mental struggles teenagers face in the digital age.
(Also read: Namita Thapar opens up about being bullied as a kid: ‘I was called the girl with a moustache’)
In her post titled “MY TAKE ON PARENTING”, Thapar connected the dots between long working hours and emotional neglect. She wrote, “Adolescence on Netflix & 70 hr work week – a correlation & evidence based opinion. As a parent of teens… this show stirred something deep in me. My thoughts for whatever they are worth.”
The silent scars of unseen expectations
Thapar highlighted how children often internalise their parents’ expectations. “Kids are fragile. They idolise their parents… if they feel they are not living up to the parents’ expectations… they have massive pent-up negativity,” she explained. Citing two paths this negativity can take—self-destruction or aggression—Thapar stressed that most parents don’t even realise the damage they might be doing, despite having the best intentions.
Using examples from Adolescence, she drew a parallel to her own life. “My mom got worried, made me take singing classes, kathak classes… in an attempt to make me more ‘feminine’… perfectly sweet soul, perfectly good intent but it left scars,” she wrote. Thapar also recalled her father’s efforts to shift her to a better school, which unintentionally made her feel “ashamed”. The result? Years of low self-esteem and emotional eating. “I recovered, got stronger. Not everyone does…” she noted.
Confidence is the real gift
As a way forward, Thapar recommended principles from The Self-Driven Child, a parenting book that advocates for independence and emotional affirmation. “Detach. Stop trying to fix things… But over communicate… the ‘I’m proud of you’ part being most important. Confidence is the best gift you can give your child,” she advised.
She also warned against glorifying overwork. “Say NO to 70-hour weeks or if you want that life, say NO to being a parent!” she concluded.
Check out the post here:
Social media weighs in
Thapar’s post quickly attracted responses from across LinkedIn. One user called her message “raw and relatable,” while another praised her vulnerability in opening up about personal wounds. A parent commented, “This post made me rethink how I speak to my son,” while someone else admitted, “I’ve been guilty of trying to ‘fix’ my daughter.” A working mother chimed in saying, “Balancing work and kids feels impossible some days. This was needed.” Another wrote, “So few leaders talk about parenting. Respect.” A final comment read, “We need more voices like this in corporate spaces.”
