Preeti Kashireddy, an Indian-origin entrepreneur, sparked an online debate when she suggested that millennials should focus on parenting instead of traveling for self-discovery. In a post on X, Kasireddy, co-founder of a fertility company based in the US, argues that having children in your 30s offers a more meaningful journey of self-discovery than traveling the world.
“If you’re in your 30s and finding yourself traveling the world while still childless, it’s time to stop. The simple solution to your endless urge to ‘get yourself out there’ is to have a baby. Have to. Kids will teach you. Preeti said in her post that you know more about yourself than any backpacking trip.
Preeti’s post created a divide online, with some users agreeing that parenthood is indeed transformative, while others criticized the view as being too narrow.
One user commented, “Parenthood is transformative, no doubt, but self-discovery is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Some find purpose through travel, some through family. Let people choose their own map.” “
However, another user dismissed the comparison saying, “You can’t compare the experience of ‘traveling the world’ to ‘having a baby.'” The two are completely different.
A section of the internet was quick to point out that the two experiences are not comparable.
One user asserted, “I would be wary of this line of thinking. A child is not a tool or an experiment that furthers your own self-actualization. A child is a person.”
Another user commented, “One can learn from both parenting and travel, but probing deep within is another ballgame entirely.”
Preeti Kashireddy’s post has sparked a huge debate: Should age affect life choices like parenthood, or is self-discovery a personal journey that lasts a lifetime?
For now, the Internet agrees on one point—there is no universal approach to self-discovery, whether that includes raising children or traveling the world.
