The Big Thoughts of Little Luv narrates the story of the twins Luv and Kusha. Karan Johar brings into focus the challenges faced by parents and the differences imposed between boys and girls by the parents while raising them. Here is his take on how to raise gender sensitive kids – 

Hi, my name is Karan Johar, and I am the proud mom of Yash and Roohi. Or that’s how I see it. Look at our family. Do any of the old rules apply to us? I am a single man who had children through surrogacy. Our family unit is dad, grandparent and kids – pretty different from the ‘perfect’ family set-up of mom, dad, two kids and a dog, right?

And that’s why I say I am the mother of my twins – I do all the things that moms ‘traditionally’ do. I plan their birthday parties and schedule their doctor’s appointments. Maybe there aren’t any rules any more about what men and women can and cannot do. In fact, I wear bright pink sneakers with way more style than my female friends!

And yet as I raise my twins, I find that we’re still going by the old rules for them. It feels more stark to me as I raise a set of mixed twins. Recently someone told Yash, ‘You’re crying like a girl.’ Why should crying be for girls? Why should Roohi get the doll; why should Yash get the car? And I am constantly fighting with my mom about her ‘boy’ and ‘girl’ clothing choices for the twins.

If we love our children, we should let them flower into whoever they want to be. And that’s the message of this story – the first I have written for Roohi and Yash. I hope you and your child will enjoy it!”

This is an extract from the book. Read The Big Thoughts of Little Luv now –