5 Pakistani dramas that offer important parenting lessons

Raising a child is quite a tricky task; it involves a lot of hard work, patience, and understanding. It's the only job that requires a parent's attention twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

You would expect kids to have an upbringing full of love, nourishment, and health, given the effort parents put into the relationship, but unfortunately, there’s no foolproof way of ensuring all positive results.

Having effective parenting skills is often overlooked, and children are left neglected and even abused under the care of their guardians.

According to research conducted by Aisha Mehnaz for the National Journal of Health Sciences, "child neglects occurs when a child's basic needs are not actually met," and in almost 80 percent of cases in Pakistan, the neglect is caused by parents.

Furthermore, there is no proper data to assess the physical abuse suffered by children at the hands of their parents, making it an alarming issue in society.

There's no doubt that Pakistan requires a better legal system for protecting children and giving them rights. However, it is also necessary for parents to learn the difference between raising children in a healthy manner or a toxic-infused environment, and some of these lessons can be picked on the go.

Luckily we now have drama serials delving into such sensitive issues, each one of them offering enough doses of catharsis, entertainment and essential parenting skills.

1. Pinjra

Javed and Khadija, played by Omair Rana and Hadiqa Kiani are not just characters on screen, but also a mirror for parents who suffocate their kids with boundaries guised as being "protective." However, the truth is that many children are stuck like Abhaan in a Pinjra (cage) because their parents don't provide them with any freedom of choice. This drama teaches parents to be more soft-spoken and open with their children and not treat them like objects meant to be moulded as per their wishes. Every parent must allow their child some space to grow and have their own life.

2. Udaari