Kathmandu, Aug. 4 -- Some children learn to read the room before they learn to understand themselves. They know which tone in a parent's voice means trouble, when to stay quiet, when to step in and smooth things over. From the outside they look mature, dependable and wise beyond their years. But what goes unnoticed is the cost of a childhood spent managing others' emotions.

This is parentification. Shristi Kharel is a psychologist with over six years of experience in psychological counseling, psychosocial support, and mental health training. She currently serves as a Mental Health Counselor and Trainer at Mankaa Kura.

Kharel discusses the patterns and the reason this tendency goes unnoticed, or even celebrated.

How can we understand pa...