“Send your child far away...”: Acharya Prashant says this one parenting decision can help children grow into independent adults

July 16, 2026 - 03:50

For many parents, the thought of sending a child to a college or school far from home feels unsettling. Will they manage on their own? Will they eat properly? Will they be safe? All too often, families settle for the closest college, even when better options exist elsewhere.

Spiritual teacher and author Acharya Prashant argues that this urge to keep children close might actually be holding them back. In a recent Instagram reel, he explained why parents need to let go of the need to control every aspect of their child's life. Instead, they should allow children the freedom to develop, make mistakes, and become independent.

According to Prashant, the instinct to protect often turns into overprotection. When parents keep a child nearby, they inadvertently prevent them from facing real-world challenges. A child who never has to manage their own schedule, cook a meal, or solve a problem without immediate parental input never learns how to stand on their own feet.

He suggests that distance creates a natural boundary. When a child is far away, parents cannot intervene in every small difficulty. The child is forced to figure things out, build resilience, and develop self-reliance. This is not about abandonment but about trust. Prashant believes that the greatest gift a parent can give is the confidence that their child can survive and thrive without constant supervision.

The message is clear. Sending a child far away is not a rejection. It is an investment in their growth as an independent adult.