‘I have to listen to her’: Rani Mukerji says daughter Adira ‘fires’ her; a psychologist explains how Gen Alpha kids are reshaping parent-child dynamics

At the same time, she revealed that Adira finds it hard to watch her films because of emotional attachment. “Though she has not seen my films because she’s too attached and she feels sad when she sees me cry, so she finds it difficult to watch me on screen, so she likes to see when I’m dancing and when I am happy on screen,” Rani said.

Rani also touched upon how children today relate to identity, appearance, and authority very differently. Speaking about how her daughter reacts to her appearance, she said, “When I am wearing make-up, she tells me mamma, you are not looking like my mother. So when I remove my makeup and come to her, she tells me, now you look like my mother.” 

The most striking was her admission about feeling intimidated by her child’s confidence and fearlessness. “She also fires me. She is Gen Alpha, so she fires me, and I have to listen to her. Because every generation changes. Like I used to get slaps from my mom. I can’t expect to do that with her because she would slap me back,” she said, before adding, “During my national award, she was jumping in the house while the national awards were happening. It’s very sweet, but because she is an alpha kid, I am very scared of her (sic).” 

So, how does Gen Alpha’s confidence change traditional parent-child dynamics?

Gurleen Baruah, existential analyst at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “Every generation, in some way, becomes smarter and more aware than the previous one because of evolution, exposure, and access. Gen Alpha kids today are emotionally tuned in, confident, and comfortable using emotional language. Many millennial parents were raised very differently — less expression, more hierarchy.”

: What Rani Mukerji’s bond with her Gen Alpha daughter reveals about parenting today (Source: Instagram/@_ranimukerji)

So when they parent Gen Alpha, she adds, there is a deep connection, openness, and closeness, but also a bit of intimidation. These kids speak back, question, negotiate, and express themselves clearly. That confidence can feel unfamiliar, even overwhelming, for parents who are still unlearning how they were raised. 

What does a child’s strong emotional attachment ell us about emotional development and empathy?

This really depends on the child’s age and the parent’s role. Baruah states, “In Rani Mukerji’s case, her daughter is around 9-10 years old, an age where children are highly empathetic but still see parents as emotional anchors. At this stage, kids can feel unsettled seeing a parent cry or appear very different on screen because it disrupts their sense of safety. It shows emotional closeness, empathy, and strong attachment.”

Maintaining healthy authority 

“This is crucial,” stresses Baruah, adding that many millennial parents, without realising it, “become too boundary-less in the name of being friendly or emotionally available.” That can confuse children and even lead to “parentification, where kids feel they have too much power or responsibility.” 

“Children need parents to be authority figures — not harsh, but steady and safe. Boundaries create security. Respecting a child’s voice doesn’t mean giving up structure. Kids can be heard, validated, and still guided. Independence grows best when there’s a clear safety net and role clarity,” concludes Baruah.