"Beta, Mental Health? Eat a Paratha!" –

Ah, Indian parents—the epitome of unconditional love wrapped in a whirlwind of expectations and ghar ke nuskhe. When it comes to their child’s mental health, the response is often a mix of denial, humor, and an unhealthy obsession with marks. Let’s dig into this with a pinch of sarcasm, a dollop of truth, and a side of thought-provoking wisdom.

"Tension Kyun Lete Ho? Sab Thik Hai!" Indian parents are master problem-solvers. Got anxiety? “Go for a walk, beta.” Feeling low? “Have haldi milk, beta. Baba Ramdev says it works wonders.” Depression? “Kuch zyada hi overthinking karte ho tum.”

For many parents, mental health is as elusive a concept as WhatsApp privacy settings. After all, “Our generation never had time to feel sad. We were too busy walking 10 km to school without shoes!”

But here’s the catch: times have changed, and while they were dodging cows on the way to school, today’s kids are dodging burnout, social media pressures, and existential dread.

The Marksheet Paradox

Indian parents have an unparalleled romance with marksheets. If academics were a religion, CBSE would be their temple.

As Albert Einstein once said,

Try explaining this to a parent mid-results season, though, and you’ll hear, “Einstein kaun sa IAS ban gaya?”

Cultural Taboo: Therapy vs. Gossip Suggest therapy to an Indian parent, and you might hear: “Are you mad? What will people think?” Therapy sessions are often viewed as unnecessary, but discussing Mrs. Verma’s bahu who doesn’t cook roti properly? That’s prime-time entertainment.

But even the great Dalai Lama said, “There is no health without mental health.” Yet somehow, it’s easier to fix a broken AC than address a broken spirit.

Hope on the Horizon Despite all this, things are slowly changing. Gen Z and Millennials are opening dialogues, and some parents are learning to replace “Log kya kahenge?” with “How are you feeling, beta?” It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.

To Think About As we juggle our mental health with the endless pressures of life, let’s ask ourselves—and our parents—this: “If physical illnesses deserve treatment, why not mental ones?”

So, dear parents, the next time your child says, “I’m not okay,” instead of dismissing it, ask, “How can I help?” Now that’s a conversation worth having, isn’t it?