Dear Parents, Relax—Your Child Doesn’t Need Instagram Parenting

The other day, a mother walked into my clinic looking more exhausted than her toddler. I asked her what happened. She sighed and said, “Doctor, Instagram tells me my child should eat seven types of seeds daily, sleep like a saint, play with wooden toys only, and also speak three languages by age three. Meanwhile, I can’t even get him to brush his teeth without chasing him around the house!”

Honestly? I laughed with her. Because she’s not alone. Many parents today are drowning in advice from influencers, doctors on YouTube, and that one friend who claims her child started reciting poetry at age two.

Take a Deep Breath, You’re Not Failing

Let me tell you something important: you are not failing your child if you don’t follow every piece of advice on social media. Parenting is not an Olympic competition.

Your child doesn’t need a perfect schedule, perfect food, or perfect toys. They just need you—your love, your time, your care. And yes, sometimes even your mistakes.

The Simple Truth

Here’s the reality (and it’s much simpler than Instagram makes it look):

• Children don’t need exotic superfoods. They need basic, home-cooked food.

• They don’t need to learn coding before kindergarten. They need play and laughter.

• They don’t need 20 toys. They need one parent who will sit and play with them for 20 minutes.

  
  

What You Can Actually Do

Instead of trying to do everything, try these small, realistic steps:

1. Pick one thing that matters most to you (maybe healthy meals, or better sleep) and focus on that. Forget the rest for now.

2. Ignore the “perfect parent” myth. Even doctors’ kids eat chips sometimes. (Mine included!)

3. Schedule guilt-free parent time. If you need 30 minutes to sip tea or finish your work, that is not neglect. That is sanity.

Parenting Is Like Cooking Khichdi

Think of parenting like cooking khichdi. Too many ingredients, and it becomes a mess. Simple, few things, done with love—that’s the recipe that works.

Your child doesn’t need Instagram-worthy quinoa salad; sometimes, they just need dal-chawal and a story before bed.

Final Word

So, dear parents, stop measuring your worth by what influencers say. Your child doesn’t need a mother who follows every parenting trend, or a father who buys every “brain development toy.”

They need parents who laugh with them, hug them, and let them know they’re loved.

Relax. You’re doing far better than you think. Truth be told, even we as doctors haven’t always followed every bit of parenting advice. After a long day at the clinic, passing my child a biscuit instead of fresh fruit was far more common than I’d admit—and he's doing just great. 😊