In a recent interview, filmmaker Kiran Rao shared a rare glimpse into what co-parenting her son Azad with Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has been like — describing the co-parenting process as ‘tricky’ due to her superstar ex-husband’s busy schedule, she mentioned doing most of the parenting when the couple was still married, with Khan becoming more involved only since their separation in 2021. Rao’s candid revelations struck a familiar chord with many parents, whether together or separated, across the country. 

Parent trap
“Co-parenting has certain inherent challenges, regardless of whether the parents are separated or together. Some of the biggest challenges is the distribution of responsibilities — one parent may feel burdened with being assigned most child-related tasks, as Rao did during her marriage to Khan. This imbalance can lead to frustration if one parent is seen as the ‘primary parent’ while the other is more of an occasional participant. Over time, this can create resentment and diminish collaborative parenting,” points out Namrata Jain, a counselling psychologist. She adds that jealousy between parents and among siblings (if there are multiple children) can be another major concern. For instance, if one parent becomes the ‘fun’ or ‘permissive’ parent while the other enforces rules, a child might gravitate towards the less disciplinary parent.