5 Pakistani dramas that offer important parenting lessons

These Pakistani dramas teach parents how to build more fulfilling relationships with their children

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

Lately, Pinjra has been making rounds on the internet due to its realistic portrayal of how children suffer within a claustrophobic household led by strict parents. The drama serial explores two different families, one where the children are raised in a free, loving atmosphere and openly communicate with their mother, the other, illustrated as a "cage" for the residing children as they are bound to follow only what is approved by their parents.

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

One reality every parent has to face is the truth about child predators. They exist and walk free, and most importantly are veiled behind many familiar faces as well. In this world, no one is trustworthy, and Udaari sends a strong message to parents regarding this issue. As Zebo (Hina Altaf) suffers in the end at the hands of her stepfather's assault, Sajida (Samiya Mumtaz) learns the truth about her husband's true intentions. Regretfully, she realises them too late and after ignoring her initial cries for help.

Every parent should listen to their children, especially involving accusations of abuse, whether the culprit is close to them or not. It's a lesson that every parent must engrave in themselves, as it's a crime that occurs too often in our society. Shutting down a child when they are reporting a trauma to you is the most harmful thing anyone can do.

3. Meri Guriya

Meri Guriya is another drama that centers on child abuse and pedophiles. It is a reenactment of a true case that involved the murder and assault of a child, whose culprit turned out a repeated offender in the area. Like Udaari, the storyline teaches parents to be more careful of their surroundings and be vigilant of their child's whereabouts.

4. Damsa

Although the primary narrative of this drama revolves around child trafficking and the abduction of a child, it also shows the caring attitude of a father towards his daughter who has been physically abused. Sohail (Talat Hussain), is the ultimate confidant of his daughter Saman (Momal Sheikh). He tries his best to help her become better and heal from the trauma of her past marriage.

Damsa teaches parents to take their child's mental health more seriously, and understand how they can help them be better versions of themselves, instead of just brushing their traumas under the carpet.

5. Pehli Si Mohabbat

Every child has the right to marry someone of their own choice, and Pehli Si Mohabbat teaches parents to be more flexible while dealing with proposals. As Rakshi (Maya Ali) and Aslam (Sheheryar Munawar) are driven apart due to a disagreement between the family’s elders, their love for each other never dies. In the end, they still meet to relive their childhood affections, as they still desire a life with each other.

This intense love story teaches parents to value their children's choices and not become a thorn in their romantic life.

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