In a recent episode of their podcast, TheIndianParentPod, actor Nakuul Mehta and his wife Jankee Mehta addressed the prevalent issue of fear-based discipline in Indian parenting. They discussed how fear is often used to enforce obedience, creating a cycle of emotional stress in children. Dr. Pavitra Shankar, an Associate Consultant in Psychiatry at Aakash Healthcare in Dwarka, supported their views, explaining that such disciplinary methods can lead to chronic anxiety and impair emotional regulation. Children subjected to fear-based discipline may conform temporarily but often struggle with self-worth and emotional expression later in life. Dr. Shankar noted that practices like comparing children to others and emotional withdrawal can damage their self-esteem and foster people-pleasing behaviors. They stressed the importance of healthy discipline, which should involve clear communication, emotional validation, and teaching consequences without threats. By adopting more supportive parenting techniques, parents can help children develop self-confidence and emotional independence, fostering a healthier parent-child relationship.