R Madhavan's Parenting Wisdom: Why You Shouldn't Give Your Child Free Time (Image: Instagram)Don’t give your child free timeA troubled town but a stable homeThe core advice: “Don’t give your child free time”Poll Do you agree with Madhavan's parenting advice of limiting free time for children? Task ownership and chores: Give kids meaningful responsibilities like age-appropriate chores, caring for a pet, helping plan a family meal. Bollywood actor R Madhavan recently opened up about a piece of parenting advice that he had received during his student-exchange days in Canada, one that continues to guide how he raises his son, Vedaant. Studies of unstructured free play versus intentional structured activity suggest that too much unsupervised time correlates with higher rates of risky behaviour in adolescence. Parenting research emphasizes a balance: children thrive when given autonomy and choice within a scaffold of structure — not total freedom, not overcontrol.