Srinagar: The National Child Development Council (NCDC) held an important committee meeting this week. They expressed serious concerns about the rising trend of overprotective and overly pampered children in today’s homes. The committee unanimously agreed that while modern parenting comes from a place of love, it is unintentionally weakening children’s resilience, emotional maturity, and problem-solving skills.
During the discussion, members pointed out that parents are increasingly protecting their children from even minor challenges. One member shared a recent case of a child who insisted on being first in everything at school and wanted parents to step in whenever things did not go their way.
The committee noted that these children often struggle to understand the feelings of others, cannot handle the word “no,” and miss chances to build courage or think independently. “Parents and teachers need to actively encourage confidence, resilience, and emotional control through structured activities at home and in school.”
One of the Committee members warned about the risks of excessive pampering. She recounted an incident from a recent school trip where an only child refused to stand in line. She wanted to cut ahead of others because she was used to being first.
She observed that over-pampered children often: Cannot wait their turn, Get upset or argumentative easily, Misunderstand freedom as entitlement, Struggle with logic, rules, or boundaries, and Show less respect for elders.
She emphasized that Montessori settings help children learn boundaries naturally. She urged parents to lessen reward-based parenting, explaining, “When every act is rewarded, children value the reward—not the responsibility.”
Senior NCDC official made a strong statement. He said, “Parenting is the most important life skill, yet it is missing from our education system.”
He argued that modern overprotection mainly arises from having fewer children and a lack of parenting knowledge. He suggested: Making parenting education a required subject in higher secondary education, Offering pre-marriage and post-marriage training courses, Teaching young adults how to care for children’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. He warned that poorly parented children become adults who struggle in society, affecting the nation overall.
Another speaker highlighted the importance of teaching children to handle failure gracefully. She recommended including stories that show both winning and losing in the school curriculum from LKG onwards.
A member shared a psychological viewpoint, noting that overprotected children often: Rely on others for simple tasks, Develop anxiety and fear about school, Avoid interacting with their peers, Display stubbornness and emotional instability, Find it hard to deal with failure, & Show signs of low self-esteem.
She stressed the urgent need for parents to help children tackle challenges independently and manage tough emotions from a young age.
The NCDC committee wrapped up with a clear message: Overprotection and overpampering harm children’s growth, Children should be encouraged to face challenges, make mistakes, and learn from them, Parenting education must be added to the national curriculum, Homes and schools must work together to build resilience, emotional strength, social skills, and independence.
