Six Pocket Syndrome: Understanding the Reason Behind the KBC Kid’s Behavior

• October 18, 2025
• Uncategorized
• teamoceanpune@gmail.com
• 13 Comments

Recently, a young contestant on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) caught everyone’s attention — not for the quiz, but for his attitude. His confident, almost defiant tone sparked nationwide discussion. Some called it “overconfidence,” while others viewed it as “innocent boldness.”

But for child specialists and psychologists, this was an interesting display of a growing behavioral pattern among urban children — something we call the “Six Pocket Syndrome.”

What is Six Pocket Syndrome?

The term “Six Pocket Syndrome” describes a behavioral trend seen in children who grow up in environments where they are constantly surrounded by multiple adult caregivers — usually two parents and four grandparents.
In such families, the child has access to six pockets, meaning six sources of attention, affection, and money — hence the name.

While having a supportive family is a blessing, excessive pampering, material rewards, and lack of boundaries can lead to behavioral and emotional challenges in children.

How Six Pocket Syndrome Develops

In today’s nuclear-turned-joint urban family setups, both parents are often working professionals. To fill the gap of limited time, grandparents tend to compensate by overindulging the child — emotionally and materially.

Children growing up in this environment may experience the following influences:

1. Over-attention and lack of discipline: Every demand of the child is fulfilled by someone.
2. Inconsistent boundaries: Parents say “no,” but grandparents say “yes.”
3. Material gratification: Toys, gadgets, and money are easily given to make the child happy.
4. Reduced tolerance to denial: The child rarely hears the word “no.”
5. Overconfidence without humility: The child begins to feel the world revolves around them.

Over time, this can result in a child who is outspoken, entitled, and emotionally unprepared for challenges or criticism — much like what we witnessed with the KBC kid.

What the KBC Kid’s Behavior Really Shows

As a Developmental Pediatrician, I believe that the KBC child’s behavior is not about arrogance or disrespect, but rather a reflection of a developmental imbalance in emotional regulation and social awareness.

Children raised with excessive praise and material comfort often:

• Mistake confidence for dominance,
• Lack the ability to read emotional cues, and
• Struggle to handle authority or structured situations like interviews, schools, or public platforms.

This doesn’t make them “bad” children — it simply means they need guidance, boundaries, and emotional mentoring as much as they need love and support.

Why It’s Important to Address This Early

If not addressed, Six Pocket Syndrome can lead to long-term challenges such as:

• Poor emotional control
• Impulsiveness
• Entitlement and low frustration tolerance
• Difficulty in social relationships
• Anxiety or depression when faced with rejection

Emotional resilience and empathy don’t grow automatically — they must be taught and modeled consistently by adults.

Dr. Priti Mhatre’s Approach to Managing Six Pocket Syndrome

At Dr Priti Mhatre’s Clinic, we often see children displaying similar traits — highly intelligent, expressive, but emotionally imbalanced. Here’s what I recommend to parents and grandparents:

1. Set Consistent Boundaries
   All six adults must agree on basic rules — bedtime, screen time, rewards, and discipline. Mixed messages confuse the child and weaken authority.
2. Encourage Emotional Expression
   Teach your child to express feelings — anger, sadness, or frustration — in words, not actions. Validate emotions but don’t reward misbehavior.
3. Limit Material Rewards
   Instead of gifts or gadgets, reward your child with praise, experiences, or time together.
4. Model Respectful Communication
   Children learn more from how you speak than what you say. Be kind but firm.
5. Teach Gratitude and Empathy
   Encourage acts of kindness — sharing toys, helping elders, or volunteering. These habits nurture humility and emotional balance.
6. Avoid Overexposure to Screens & Fame
   Viral videos or social media attention can inflate a child’s ego. Keep them grounded and focused on real-world learning.

A Balanced Perspective

The KBC episode should not be a reason to mock or criticize the child — it should be an eye-opener for parents. Every behavior has a story behind it. What we saw was not a “naughty” child but a product of modern parenting dynamics — too much love, too little structure.

Children don’t need six pockets — they need six pillars: love, respect, discipline, empathy, patience, and time.

Final Thoughts by Dr. Priti Mhatre

Parenting today is about balance — balancing affection with discipline, encouragement with humility, and freedom with responsibility.
As parents and grandparents, our goal should be to raise emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and grounded children, not just confident ones.