'You have to trust yourself': Anushka Sharma on parenting with Virat Kohli

Motherhood often prompts women to reassess the questions they ask themselves. Traditionally, decisions may have centered on ambition, work, or personal priorities, but once a child enters the picture, a new consideration emerges: what feels right for the child and the family? For actress Anushka Sharma, motherhood has instilled an even deeper belief in her own judgment.

During a 2023 conversation at a Puma event in Bengaluru, Sharma discussed how motherhood has made her more confident, fearless, and willing to make decisions that she might not have made before. These remarks followed her decision to reduce her acting commitments in order to spend more time with her daughter, Vamika, who she and cricketer Virat Kohli welcomed in January 2021.

The most striking aspect of Sharma's statement was not about stepping away from her film career, but rather about learning to trust herself as a parent. "Motherhood has given me that because you have to trust yourself so much as a parent, as a mother," she explained, emphasizing that a parent constantly makes decisions for a young and dependent child.

Sharma's decision to limit her work was driven by a specific understanding of Vamika's needs at that stage. While her husband, Kohli, is an involved father, Sharma felt that their daughter, at that age, needed her mother more. This distinction highlights that not all parenting responsibilities need to be evenly divided. Children's needs evolve with age, and different phases may require varying levels of parental involvement.

Recognizing this difference has helped Sharma make decisions that best suit her family, rather than adhering to a pre-motherhood lifestyle. She chose to limit herself to approximately one film per year, balancing her acting career with her family responsibilities. In a world where parents often compare their choices to those of others and seek validation from outside sources, Sharma found satisfaction in making decisions that felt right to her.

The pressure to prove oneself as a "good parent" can be overwhelming. While seeking guidance from experts and other parents can be valuable, constantly looking for approval may lead to perpetual self-doubt. Children need parents who are responsive and thoughtful, not those who are perpetually anxious about making the "right" choices.

Motherhood can indeed make individuals braver and more deliberate. When parents are responsible for a child, they are compelled to make decisions, which may initially be daunting. However, this responsibility can build confidence in one's ability to make the best decisions for their child. This newfound confidence need not be dramatic; it could be as simple as saying no to something that doesn't align with the family's needs or adapting one's viewpoint when previous approaches prove ineffective.

Ultimately, Sharma's message is not about sacrificing aspects of life for motherhood, but rather about having the confidence to make choices that suit one's family. Parenting inevitably involves uncertainty, and one will inevitably make decisions confidently, question others, and sometimes realize they could have handled things differently.

The goal, perhaps, is not to become a parent who never doubts oneself, but rather to become one who can pause, understand their child, make the best decision possible, and trust themselves enough to continue learning as their child grows.