In the 21st century, one of the most underrepresented phenomena for building resilient cultures, nations, states and the international community is strategic parenting. Strategic parenting can be defined as an idea to strategically manage, administer and nurture inclusive future generations for the collective good of humanity. Parenting plays an unprecedented role in shaping an individual’s idea of self, their ability to accept rejection, their capacity to accommodate failures, their understanding of the responsibilities that come with success, their sense of social responsibility, their perception of confidence (including overconfidence and balanced confidence), and their evolving identity in a changing world.
The first quarter of the 21st century has witnessed the rise of identities shaped by a wave of individuation. From the individual to the state level, we are witnessing how narcissism is creating increasingly isolated societies. If we examine the evolution of our culture in contemporary times, it becomes evident that much of our literature and creative expression revolves around hyper-selfhood — and it all begins with questionable parenting. The concept of self is one of the most important aspects of childhood. It can serve as either a constructive or destructive force throughout life.
Sometimes, parents over-approve of the qualities of their children. Imagine a school-going child whose parents never tire of highlighting only their strengths, successes and achievements. This child, who stood first in a class of forty, will eventually face competition on a larger scale — from district-level contests to university-level grading, and eventually in competitive examinations or employment assessments. If the parents fail to instill the idea that failure is natural and accommodating, the child may crumble under pressure, ultimately becoming a problem for both themselves and society. Here, we need to understand that parents must strategically balance between appreciation, failure and choices.
Following the strategic parenting model is especially critical in our digital age, where there is an unchecked flow of information. This information has become a source of shaping attitudes toward careers, aspirations and relationships — often in misleading or harmful ways. Parents have a critical role in digitally mentoring children until they reach adulthood, ensuring they are not trapped in a vicious cycle of poorly processed social media content. Increasingly, our identities — whether binary or fluid, masculine or feminine — are being shaped more by online interactions than by physical communities.
Parents must guide children on how to retain, reject and apply the information they encounter online. Democratic behaviour is another essential component in building resilient and sustainable communities. Parenting can play an important role in making their children understand about the inclusive language discourse, communication, value-driven skills and social responsibility — whether for people, the environment or shared values.
Finally, happiness remains the ultimate goal for which we strive through effort and hard work throughout life. Parents can teach that happiness is not merely material success, but also the result of a healthy balance of the brain’s chemistry. It is the social responsibility of the parents to teach the essence of happiness — its sustainability, its peak and decline, and the inevitability of death as the moral conclusion of our generational efforts.
Today’s university will soon be tomorrow’s parents. Governments should therefore highlight and promote the significance of strong parental values so that we can achieve the wishful outcomes of objectives over the next two decades. If we wish to improve our economy, science, art and society, we must priorities effective parenting for the productive and responsible future generations.
