Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is the mother of two boys, Taimur (7) and Jeh Ali Khan (3), feels that her kids need to understand and respect genders equally.

The 43-year-old, who was recently in Delhi for a UN event where she was announced UNICEF India’s National Ambassador, shares, “I feel that boys who see not just their father but also their mothers work have respect for the fact that mums can be busy, too. [For instance] Taimur had a holiday recently and wanted me to be home, but I told him I must go to work. I told him that work is important too and promised to give them more time.”

The actor, who was recently seen in the film Crew, hopes that with these little instances, her sons will value both parents’ work. “They will respect the fact that abba (father, actor Saif Ali Khan) goes to work and comes home, and it’s the same for amma. I want them to grow up knowing that we are equals in this house,” she adds. 

Kareena and Saif are also careful of their own way of talking in front of their kids. “Saif always tells me that we talk to each other with love; therefore, our children will talk to each other and others with love. There is [always] learning from observation. That’s also how I try to inculcate respect,” she says.