Growing up in Jamshedpur, Madhavan says he never had a detailed plan for his future. What he did have were values.

"My dreams weren't that specific. It's impossible to map out every aspect of your life so early and know exactly how it will unfold," he told Mashable Middle East.

What carried him through? Three principles his parents repeated throughout his childhood.

"That became my foundation. It probably made me a nicer person. When you're nice to people, you acknowledge them. When you acknowledge them, they acknowledge you. That's how genuine connections are built," Madhavan said.

"My parents always told me never to cheat anyone financially. If I borrowed money — even to tip someone — I had to return it. If a doctor who was a friend treated me for free, I still had to insist on paying because that's his profession."

These three lessons, Madhavan says, became more powerful than any professional skill he ever developed. "People never forget someone who treats them with respect. Today, management schools call them 'soft skills,' but my parents taught me those values long before anyone used that term."

He even credits these principles with helping him connect with people like scientist Nambi Narayanan — a relationship that led to one of his most celebrated films. "Whatever I've achieved happened because the right opportunity met the right preparation."

Many parents push their child toward one sport or skill early, hoping it will lead to scholarships or a professional career. But the numbers tell a different story: according to the NCAA, only 7 percent of high school athletes go on to play in college, and less than 1 percent ever turn pro. And by age 13, 70 percent of kids have already quit organized sports altogether — often because it stopped being fun.

Locking a child into one identity too early can actually limit who they become. As the New York Times reported, students who "brand themselves too soon risk missing out on the kind of exploration that will prepare them for adult life." Kids need room to try, fail, discover, and grow — not just perform.

None of this means sports and activities are bad. They teach teamwork, build confidence, and keep kids moving. The key is balance. Letting your child pick one activity per season, asking them what they actually love (not just what you loved at their age), and protecting space for unstructured family time can make a huge difference.

As journalist Anna Nordberg writes, "Do what's truly going to make your family happy." Whether that's competitive sports, a rec league, or a kid who spends Saturdays building cardboard houses for stuffed animals — all of it counts. What matters most is that your child feels safe, loved, and free to figure out who they are.

Because the real goal isn't raising impressive children. It's raising healthy, happy adults who actually like their lives.