Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Sherriy Sikandar Singh made headlines last year for becoming the first Indian woman to win the Mrs. Universe title in 48 years. Her journey towards stardom has been equally extraordinary.   

Singh is a former national-level basketball player who played for her state and Delhi university before a ligament tear halted her sports career. Not one to let roadblocks get in her way, she completed a master's degree in fashion before being crowned Mrs India 2025 by UMB pageants. However, as per her own admission, her biggest challenge was delivering a baby boy in 2019. "I was too overwhelmed all the time. I always had this thought where I hoped I was doing it right. The fear and anxiety was always there till my son started going to school."

The Early Days & Hardships Of Parenthood

"I used to be very certain that I had to do everything on my own. Figuring out what is right, hoping I wasn't hurting the baby, would he be fed the right way if I stepped out; all of it. I fed him for one year, and while I was feeding him, I had no socialisation. I had also gained a lot of weight and I would think I didn't look good. I did not realise the importance of my own self back then. Until you give someone the key or the power to judge you, they can't," says Singh about her early parenting days. 

"When I would put him to bed to sleep after feeding him, he used to start crying. I would think something is troubling him or I'm doing something wrong. One day, this happened back to back and I ran to the doctor. I was told he just wants to be cuddled. So, I made him sleep on me for some time. My husband helped me get out of that phase, since I would get tired. He would help put him to bed, that helped me get a continuous 6-7 hours of sleep! It's just part of motherhood," she adds.

Singh also faced issues during feed time with her son and admits that she hasn't yet figured out what she did wrong to cause it. "I faced a big challenge while feeding my son early on. My son did not chew for a very long time, he was only on soft food and he was just gulping everything. I took him to a doctor who specialises in activities for the jaw before he was three. We had to do these exercises for about six months and we overcame the challenge. I still don't know where I went wrong with that."

Importance Of A Support System

Singh strongly advocates for the need of a support system, especially for mothers and urges them not to feel shame for asking for help. "I have a nanny and I think it's very important for me to have one. It's been a blessing even though a lot of people shame mothers for having support. Mothers also want time for themselves," she says, adding, " felt very helpless, I had no guidance (in the early days). I would rarely ask my mom questions because I didn't want her to get bothered. I would struggle a lot to understand if I was doing the right thing. If I had a platform like Parentune, it would've helped. The mom groups that I am part of (school moms), are a blessing and a support system."

Picking Schools & What Socialisation Means For Children

When time came for Singh to pick a school for her son, she went back to her own school memories and what enrolling in an old institution did for her. She insists that picking a fancy school doesn't matter as much as picking one that sets the right foundation for a child. "These days everyone is running behind international schools. I come from one where we had a mixture of culture and backgrounds and that made me a very grounded person. It made me value friendship more and made me a better person. That's the kind of school I wanted for my son and that's how I picked my son's school. The value system is very important. It depends on how old the institution is, the older it is, the stronger the value system. I want my son to become a good human being, a good person who respects and loves women and doesn't make them feel small or inferior, and a good citizen. The rest, he can be whatever he wants to be," she says.

Singh also added that while enrolling her son in school right after spending so much time together during COVID was heartbreaking, she knew it had to be done. "When COVID happened, my son had to get enrolled in school next year. I didn't enroll him at that moment. When I did finally enroll him, I dropped him off at school and he cried for an hour. I knew it had to be done and he needed to come out of the home environment so I didn't rush back to hug him. I kept telling myself that I had to be strong for him. But I had seen my mom do something similar and I knew instantly that it was the right decision."

And as far as decisions go, Singh also states that mothers know best when it comes to making the right decision and that judgements shouldn't impact these decisions. "Only the mother should have a say in how a child is reared (without judgement). Once I was at a birthday party and I was feeding my son. A lady there commented saying I should get an award for feeding my son even at seven months old. That made me feel really bad at that time. It was my decision to take my son along and that was not justified", she quips, adding, "I am more relaxed as a mom now because I knew I would figure out something because I am a mother. Mothers know the best for their child. That strategy keeps me very calm. I trust my motherly intuition for everything. I did listen to advice from people but I did what I felt was right eventually." 

Screen Time & Parental Advice

Singh is adamant that her son will not have a lot of screen time before he turns sixteen. She is more forgiving of television screens having witnessed her own mother sit her in front of one to get alone time or to finish tasks. "I haven't given my son iPads or cell phones yet. I do give him television time. I feel screen time, especially when it comes to TV, is something I watched as a child when my mother was busy. It gave her time to finish her work. I feel it's fine as long as it is limited and monitored. I will give him a smartphone once he is 16. Till then he can have one of those old Nokia phones," she grins. 

As far as advice for other parents goes, Singh soundly admits that it is "absolutely fine to ask for help". "We think if we ask for help, we are not good parents. Take some time out for yourself because when the child grows older, they will want to spend time with their friends. It is okay to take time out for yourself, it is not a selfish thought," she concludes. 

Until Parentune's next Spotlight guest, Singh's worldly wisdom is practical and seems very efficient in equipping new mothers with the kind of mindset they need to step into their parenting journey. If there were a pageant for best moms, we're pretty sure Singh would win that too!