“We are part of kids' lives, kids are not part of ours”: Riteish Deshmukh on one parenting mistake many parents don't realize they're making

July 23, 2026 - 23:01

There is a moment in almost every parent's life when the roles quietly begin to reverse. The child who once wanted to hold your hand everywhere slowly starts running towards friends, school, sports, hobbies, and a life of their own. Actor Riteish Deshmukh recently shared a sharp observation about this shift, pointing out a mistake many parents do not realize they are making.

"We are part of kids' lives, kids are not part of ours," Deshmukh said. He explained that parents often expect their children to fit into their existing schedules, routines, and priorities. But the truth is that children grow up fast, and their world expands beyond the home. The mistake, according to him, is not adjusting to that change early enough. Parents keep waiting for the right time to slow down and be present, but that time never really comes unless they make it happen.

Deshmukh, who has two sons with his wife Genelia, emphasized that parenting is not about forcing children to be part of an adult's world. It is about adults learning to step into the child's world while they still want you there. The window is short. Before you know it, they stop asking for bedtime stories, they stop needing help with homework, and they stop looking for you in the crowd.

His words struck a chord with many parents who admitted they had been guilty of the same thing. They realized they had been waiting for the weekend, waiting for a holiday, waiting for things to settle down. But children do not wait. They grow up whether you are watching or not.