I got asked this question sometime back and had a long discussion over it.
In my opinion, parents are responsible for providing a holistic atmosphere for the child to grow and develop.
When I say grow, I mean parents should provide the necessities of life - food, clothes, a roof to live under.
When I say develop, I mean things that make the child special - Education, encouragement, awareness of the world outside, wisdom to learn from mistakes - stuff like that.
Often times good parents provide the former, but forget an important part of the latter. And that is to connect with the child, no matter how old he/she is. To empathize with them, teach by example and talk to them to know their mind.
I saw a video of a mother cheetah protecting her cubs, an act of immense bravery that drives the point of how parents should protect their children from harmful influences - both external and internal.
The main duty of parents is to instill in their children all the skills and wisdom needed to survive in an increasingly harsh and competitive world. Of course all of this while giving the child enough freedom to make his own destiny.
That in my opinion, goes a long way.
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