Sarwat Gilani highlights mothers’ invisible labour, urges fathers to step up
In a conversation that quickly caught public attention, famous actor Sarwat Gilani brought a refreshing and thought-provoking perspective to the ongoing debate around modern parenting, highlighting the need for balance, awareness, and shared responsibility within the home.
Speaking during a morning show appearance, she highlighted a common perception in many households where mothers are often seen as the “strict parent.” However, she pointed out that this label fails to reflect the full scope of what mothers actually manage on a daily basis. According to her, mothers typically handle a wide range of responsibilities including preparing meals, overseeing schoolwork, maintaining discipline, and supporting the emotional needs of their children—all of which together form an often overlooked form of unpaid and invisible labor.
Gilani explained that by the end of the day, it is completely natural for mothers to feel mentally and physically exhausted. She noted that this exhaustion can sometimes lead to moments of frustration or impatience, but these reactions are often judged in isolation. In her view, many fathers tend to notice only these visible moments of stress without understanding the continuous pressure and workload that leads up to them.
She strongly emphasized that parenting should not be treated as a one-sided duty. Raising children, she said, is a shared responsibility that requires both parents to contribute equally. She also suggested that if fathers were placed in mothers’ roles, even for a short period of time, many would realize how demanding and emotionally taxing the experience can be.
Encouraging a change in attitude within families, Gilani urged fathers to actively acknowledge and appreciate their partners’ efforts. She also stressed the importance of expressing this appreciation not just privately, but openly in front of children as well. According to her, such behavior helps children develop respect for both parents and creates a healthier, more supportive home environment.
She further reflected on how parenting styles are often passed down through generations. Gilani noted that a father’s level of emotional involvement or distance with his children is frequently influenced by how he was raised himself. In some cases, emotional detachment may not be intentional but rather the result of unresolved family patterns and learned behavior.
Touching on family relationships more broadly, she also discussed the emotional bond between mothers and sons. She suggested that when children are made to carry excessive emotional responsibility within the family, it can sometimes affect their ability to develop balanced relationships later in life, including how they approach their own roles as parents.
Gilani’s comments have sparked widespread discussion on social media, where many users have appreciated her focus on shared parenting responsibilities and the need to recognize the unseen emotional and physical labor that often goes unnoticed within households.