‘We struggled for nearly 3 years’: Kajol reveals the parenting lesson that changed her relationship with daughter Nysa

August 12, 2026 - 23:43

Parenting a teenager can test even the strongest bond. One day, your child wants to tell you everything; the next, they do not want to talk at all. For actor Kajol, that push-and-pull with her daughter Nysa became a long, draining phase that lasted nearly three years. In a recent conversation, she admitted that the period left her feeling lost and unsure of herself as a mother.

The turning point did not come from a grand gesture or a stern talk. It came from a simple but hard lesson: stop trying to fix everything. Kajol said she realized she had been approaching every conversation with Nysa as a problem to solve, offering advice before truly listening. That approach only pushed her daughter further away. Once she stepped back, stopped correcting, and just sat with Nysa's feelings, the walls began to come down.

She also shared that she had to unlearn the idea that a mother's job is to always have the answer. Instead, she learned to ask, "Do you want my opinion, or do you just want me to hear you?" That single question changed the dynamic. Kajol now believes that respecting a teenager's space, while making it clear you are still there, is the real secret. The struggle, she says, taught her more than any parenting book ever could.