‘I couldn’t tell whether anybody was missing’: Palak Tiwari on growing up in a women-led house, expert shares impact of ‘sheltering’
Palak Tiwari reflected on her childhood, sharing how Shweta Tiwari created a loving women-led household after her parents’ divorce.
Palak Tiwari has opened up about growing up in a women-led household (Photo: @palaktiwarii/Instagram) Actor Palak Tiwari recently reflected on growing up in a women-led household and spoke candidly about never feeling the absence of a father figure during her childhood. The Bijlee Bijlee fame is the daughter of TV actor Shweta Tiwari and Raja Choudhary. The couple got divorced in 2012.
In a candid conversation with Yuvaa, Palak shared how her mother shaped her understanding of happiness. She said her mother always encouraged her to prioritise happiness over being a ‘good’ girl. She added that she would “rather be a happy woman than a good woman.”
Speaking about her upbringing, Palak recalled that her mother was protective of her emotional space and never allowed others to treat her disrespectfully. “I was sheltered in the sense that my mom was obviously never rude to me, but she did not allow anyone else to do anything rude to me. I was sheltered in the way that ‘do not project that on my kid’, and she got that from my naani (grandmother),” Palak said.
The actor also recounted a childhood memory from the time her parents were going through a divorce. She revealed that when she was around eight years old, a friend remarked that she “wouldn’t understand” curfews because she “didn’t have a dad at home.”
“I felt very bad because I was 8. And I went home and told my mom,” Palak shared. She revealed that Shweta, her mother, went to the child’s home and clarified that her daughter did have parental support and love at home. “She went to his house and said I don’t know what your thing is, but she does have a dad at home. It’s her naani. It’s me. It’s us. We are her dads at home. We don’t need a dad at home because she has a mom at home,” she added.
Reflecting on her childhood, Palak shared that she never truly felt a void in her family or felt deprived of anything growing up. “It never really felt like there was a void in my family. It never. It was a full house. I couldn’t tell whether anybody was missing. In fact, I was like, three people extra today. It was like a very crowded fun home. I have never felt deprived of anything in my life,” she said.
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According to Dr Rimpa Sarkar, PhD, Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, a child not feeling the absence of a parent can point to both emotional resilience and strong caregiving. “If one parent creates a stable, loving, and emotionally secure environment, the child may genuinely not experience the absence as deeply,” she said.
Emotionally available caregiving
Speaking about the role of father figures in childhood development, Sarkar said that while a positive father figure can contribute to confidence and emotional security, what matters most is “safe, consistent, and emotionally available caregiving.”
“Children do not necessarily need a ‘perfect family structure’ to develop well, but they do need emotional safety, validation, and reliable support. While the absence of a parent can leave certain emotional gaps for some individuals, a nurturing environment can significantly buffer those effects,” Dr Sarkar shared.
Impact of sheltering
On the impact of “sheltering” children during divorce, Sarkar said protecting children from conflict and emotional burden can help preserve their sense of safety. However, she also cautioned that excessive emotional silence or overprotection may make it difficult for children to process complex emotions later in life.
“The balance lies in protecting the child while still allowing age-appropriate honesty and emotional openness,” she added.
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