Shark Tank’s Namita Thapar slams 70-hour work week debate after watching Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’: ‘If you want that life, say no to being a parent’

Drawing inspiration from “Adolescence”, Thapar shared the story of Jamie, whose father pushed him into sports like football and boxing to “toughen him up.” Unable to meet these expectations, Jamie felt that his father was ashamed of him. Thapar noted that Jamie’s father never took the time to communicate and clarify that this wasn’t true.

She further reflected on her own upbringing, recalling how she was a tomboyish teenager who was less inclined toward conventional feminine activities like singing, dancing, or wearing nail paint. Concerned, her mother encouraged her to take singing and Kathak classes and walk with a book on her head to appear more “feminine.”

Thapar described her mother’s intentions as sweet but said these actions left lasting scars. Her father also tried to move her to a different school, which made her feel that he, too, was “ashamed” of her. Thapar acknowledged that while both her parents had good intentions, their actions led to years of low self-esteem and emotional eating. However, she added that she eventually overcame these challenges and grew stronger. However, she recognised that not everyone can recover in the same way.

Thapar also referenced the book “The Self-Driven Child” and emphasised the importance of detaching from the urge to “fix” things in children. Instead, she encouraged parents to focus on over-communicating their pride and support, saying that telling children “I’m proud of you” is crucial.

“Stop trying to fix things you feel they lack or could do better at..But over-communicate….over communicate ….over communicate how proud you are of them & how you are always there for them… the “I’m proud of you” part being most important,” she wrote.

Moving on, she stressed the importance of recognising early signs of low confidence in children and taking steps to address them. “Confidence is the best gift you can give your child,” Thapar wrote, urging parents to correct course when they see these signs and seek professional help when needed.

Thapar also shared a poignant example from the series, where Jamie Miller was isolated in his room while his father worked long hours, leading to missed opportunities to notice warning signs of his emotional struggles. “If we choose to bring a child into this world, let’s ensure we give them TIME… that we have work-life balance to catch these signs early and course-correct. Say NO to 70-hour weeks, or if that’s the life you want, say NO to being a parent!” she wrote.

“Hope the proponents of 70/90 hour a week watch this show,” she concluded the post.