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One doesn’t often expect nuanced conversation and incredibly articulate arguments when watching a Pakistani morning show, but that’s what viewers of Nida Yasir’s Good Morning Pakistan got when she interviewed the young cast of Parwarish.

The cast, comprising Samar Jafri, Aina Asif, Reham Rafiq and Abul Hasan, had some very interesting things to say about parenting Gen Z kids and the difference in the way they approach life compared to their parents.

After a brief introduction to their characters, Yasir dove into a topic close to the hearts of many of her viewers — how to parent Gen Z children.

Jafri started off by advising parents not to pressure or force their children to do things. “If you force them, kids become rebellious,” he cautioned, telling parents to explain things to them and then leave them be.

But if you leave them be, they’ll just play video games all night, argued Yasir, who is parent to two children. Rafiq countered this with a pretty sensible argument — children will not be playing video games till late at night if parents inculcate good habits and routines from a young age. “Have faith in your children,” she argued. “Let them make mistakes. That’s how they’ll learn.”

Rafiq said that if parents overreact when children make mistakes, the kids will get scared and never learn from those mistakes. She said that her parents afforded her a great deal of trust as a young actor going to auditions and events, even though they too must have had doubts, but she always told them to come with her if they were doubtful.

Hasan said that parents should try viewing situations through their children’s eyes and give them freedom but supervision.

“Before delving into solutions, we must first identify the problem,” said Asif, who said that Gen Z is a generation with far more awareness than its predecessors. Calling it a very depressed generation, the actor said that she has learned that she too has anxiety around exams. She believes that parents must take this awareness into consideration when dealing with kids.

When they’re communicating with parents, parents shouldn’t shut them off or disregard what they’re saying, she said.

“These are complex and complicated issues, and people often stigmatise them by saying it’s a ‘zehni disease’ or using the word ‘nafsiati’. Don’t use those words, don’t stigmatise it further,” argued Hasan.

“Back in the day, when parents referred to your friend and said ‘that fat friend’, we didn’t think much of it. Today, if we say ‘that fat friend of yours’ to our kids, they say we’re racist,” pondered Yasir, to silence from her guests. “It’s a good change,” Hasan eventually replied, lauding the role of body positivity.

Yasir agreed and said in such cases, kids become parents and shut their parents up.

“Racism, sexism, surface level misogyny — this generation has recognised this and there has been significant growth,” said Hasan.

On the topic of bullying and whether there are more bullies today than there were in previous generations, Asif quoted boxer Mike Tyson and said social media has made people too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.

“Anyone can say anything! Some people, who are sensible, believe everyone deserves benefit of the doubt,” she said of granting grace to people who make mistakes, no matter who they are.

We’re all human, we all make mistakes, interjected Hasan. “Everyone living for the first time,” agreed Asif.

Hasan explained that many young people have an issue with their parents not behaving in a certain way — something he had in the past as well. Yasir interjected to say it was a phase most teenagers went through.

Rafiq explained that parents should realise that the times have changed and so has the environment, but kids should realise that their parents are handling the situation according to what they know.

Unlike previous generations where we thought our parents had no flaws, this generation knows their parents flaws well, Yasir said.

“We can grow together — I make myself better for you, you make yourself better for me. We find a middle ground,” said Hasan. “But we can only seek that common ground when the entitlement between us is finished and how do we end that entitlement? By recognising that our parents are parents for the first time too,” he said.

“We’re living for the first time and our parents are also experiencing being parents for the first time.”

He said that he used to think that his parents weren’t behaving according to the way he wanted, until he recognised that his perspective is built off his exposure and experiences, which might not have been the same things his parents experienced or were exposed to.

“When I pondered this, I realised my parents were doing the best according to what they know.”

These deliberations and concerns are also reflected in the drama, especially Wali’s character who clashes with his father over his career choices.