I am a parent of two children, an eleven year old and a six year old, a girl and a boy. They are at that fascinating age where children gradually stop being just sources of cuteness and start becoming distinct personalities. Opinions emerge. Preferences become strong. Defiance appears alongside curiosity. Logic and emotion coexist in loud and unapologetic ways.

Parenting, more than any career milestone, business success, or personal pursuit, has turned out to be the single biggest opportunity for self growth in my life.

It is not the easiest path.
It is not the calmest experience.
It is, however, deeply transformative.

The Magic and the Challenge of Watching a Human Being Grow

There is something profoundly special about witnessing growth. Watching a human being discover the world, form questions, challenge assumptions, and slowly build a sense of self is a privilege that is difficult to articulate. Being able to contribute meaningfully to that journey adds another layer of depth.

At the same time, parenting is not romantic. It is demanding and relentless.

Children will push every button you did not know existed.

They ask questions endlessly.
Why should I listen to you.
Why should I listen to parents at all.
Why can I not eat chocolates whenever I want.
Why can I not watch television all the time.
Why is the planet earth round.

Some of these questions come from curiosity. Some come from defiance. Some come from pure experimentation, an attempt to understand where boundaries truly lie.

There have been moments when I have been completely stretched. Moments when they have driven me crazy. Moments when they have stumped me entirely. Moments when the emotional and mental exhaustion has felt very real.

At the same time, those very questions are also inspiring. Curiosity, at its core, is innocence trying to make sense of the world.

Parenting as Both Opportunity and Lifetime Commitment

What makes parenting truly unique is that it is both an opportunity and a commitment, and both of these last a lifetime.

Long before children understand logic or reasoning, they observe. They watch closely. They absorb silently.

I have slowly realised that my children do not just see me as a parent. They see me as a reference point. Someone they measure the world against. Someone they want to spend time with. Someone whose attention matters deeply.

Even today, at their age, they want to play with me and my wife. They want us involved in their games, their excitement, their imagination.

That feels deeply special.

Over the years, I have probably become more philosophical and more inward looking. Playfulness may have reduced a little. Having two young children who demand play, fun, activity, and excitement keeps pulling me back into that space.

Life remains busy. Business pressures exist. Responsibilities stretch endlessly. The house is constantly messy. Energy levels are often stretched and drained rather than abundant.

Yet this phase of life feels extraordinary.

These are the years when children want to spend time with their parents. These are the years when the sense of being a family unit is strong and tangible. This time will not last forever, and that awareness makes it even more precious.

Why Parenting Is Becoming a Conscious Choice Today

There is another truth about parenting that becomes clearer with time. It is hard. It is emotionally demanding. It requires sustained presence, patience, and responsibility over decades, not years.

In today’s world, many couples are rethinking parenthood. This shift is not driven by a single reason. Roles of men and women have evolved. Family structures have changed. Joint families are less common. Support systems are thinner. Aspirations from life have expanded beyond traditional definitions. Professional demands are higher and more consuming.

Parenting now competes with multiple ambitions, identities, and life choices.

Seen in this broader context, choosing to have children has become a deeply conscious decision rather than a default one.

Yet I genuinely believe that when parenthood is chosen without pressure, without obligation, and with clarity, it becomes one of the most meaningful experiences a human being can have.

It feels like a small but significant contribution to the continuity of humanity. It feels like participating intentionally in something larger than oneself.

Parenting as a Practice of Self Improvement

One of the most important shifts in my thinking has been this. Just because they are my children does not mean I automatically know what is best.

I remain open to learning. I remain open to being guided by the right people. I remain open to reading, reflecting, and improving as a parent.

Some books that have helped shape my thinking include Perfect Parenting, which is concise and practical, The Whole-Brain Child, which offers deep insight into how young minds work, and Conscious Parenting, which reframes the parent child relationship in powerful ways and talks about the opportunity of furthering ones conscious through the opportunity of being a parent.

I plan to continue learning because parenting evolves as children evolve. What works today may not work tomorrow.

The commitment to do a good job does not come from fear or expectation. It comes from recognising that this opportunity itself is worth engaging with seriously.

Letting Go of Outcomes and Holding On to Love

I do not know how my children will turn out when measured against social benchmarks such as education, success, wealth, or status.

What I do know is this.

They are watching all the time. Not in a dramatic way, but quietly. They notice how I speak to people. They notice how I react when things do not go my way. They notice whether I stay curious or become rigid. They notice when I lose my temper and when I manage not to. They notice whether I am willing to admit that I am wrong.

I do not get this right consistently. Far from it. Parenting has a way of exposing that without mercy.

But this default celebrity status occurs to me as an opportunity to keep being that person that I want to be in all areas of my life. Like these days my daughter keeps telling me that I need to get rid of my belly fat (In her words I am FAT). These are ways for the universe to nudge me I guess towards having a fuller life 

Irrespective of how things turn out, I love them deeply. I am proud of them, not because of what they may achieve, but because of who they already are.

Apart from my father, who I loved dearly. My children and my wife have brought me the most love , freedom of expression and human connection.

Whatever time I spend on this planet in this lifetime, they have already made it completely worth it.