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A touching video by actor Nakuul Mehta and his wife Jankee Parekh is making many parents emotional online. In the video, the couple gently reminds parents about the little habits children slowly leave behind while growing up - moments so small and ordinary that we often fail to notice when they disappear.
The video beautifully captures a truth about parenting: children do not grow up all at once. Instead, they slowly outgrow tiny routines, and one day parents suddenly realise those moments are gone.
16 Apr 2026 | 10:56
What’s one parenting habit you’re proud of?
Here are the seven little things children slowly stop doing as they grow older.
They stop jumping onto your bed every morning

At one point, mornings begin with tiny footsteps rushing into the room. Children excitedly wake their parents with “Mumma, Dada, wake up!” before climbing straight onto the bed.
But slowly, without warning, that routine disappears. One day they simply stop coming in, and mornings become quieter than before.
They stop holding your finger tightly while crossing the road

For years, children tightly wrap their tiny fingers around yours while walking outside. That small gesture carries trust, comfort, and safety. Then one day, they walk a little ahead, more confident and independent, and that tight grip slowly fades.
They stop asking for the same story again and again

Many parents know the feeling of reading the same bedtime story repeatedly because their child insists on hearing it 'one more time.'
At some point, however, storybooks stay closed. Bedtime changes, interests shift, and those repeated reading sessions quietly become memories.
They stop bringing tiny discoveries from outside

Children often come home proudly carrying something small they found outside - a tiny leaf, a flower, an insect, or something they think is special. To them, these little discoveries are treasures worth sharing with their parents. But as they grow, those joyful moments slowly happen less often.
They start choosing friends over parents

Another emotional shift comes when children begin enjoying their own space. They spend more time playing with friends, laughing in their rooms, and building their own little world. Eventually, parents may hear, “Please don’t come into my room; I’m playing,” a sign that independence is slowly taking over childhood closeness.
They stop hugging you tightly when they’re scared

When children are frightened, they instinctively run toward their parents for comfort, wrapping themselves tightly in familiar arms.
As they grow older, they learn to manage fear differently, and those protective hugs become less frequent.
They stop showing every little drawing they make

Parents often become the first audience for school drawings, handmade crafts, and tiny achievements. Children proudly hold up a sketch and wait for praise. Yet, over time, they stop running over to show every drawing, as growing up slowly changes these everyday habits.At the end of the video, Nakuul Mehta and Jankee Parekh leave parents with a deeply emotional thought: parenting feels like "living nostalgia in the present." While parents are busy thinking their children will grow up someday, it quietly happens right in front of them. And perhaps that is the bittersweet truth of parenting: the smallest moments are often the ones we miss the most.

English (US) ·