Of Late There Has Been A Steady Increase In The Number Of Teenagers Having Social Problems | Agree Or Disagree IELTS Essay Sample

The following question was asked in an IELTS test held in India in August 2011.

Of late, there has been a steady rise in the number of teenagers having social problems. Many people believe that it is because parents don’t spend enough time with their children due to their work commitments. Do you agree or disagree?

You can spend about 40 minutes on this task. Note that you need to write at least 250 words.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample

Families where both parents work are the norm these days and for good reason. The cost of living is rising. When both parents work, it ensures economic security. Another reason behind this trend is that women now have the same educational qualification as men. Naturally, they want to work and earn. Double income households are good for the national economy. But this trend has some downsides too.

When both parents work, they don’t get to spend time with their children. It will not be a big problem in the joint family system. But now many families are nuclear without a proper support system. Working parents, particularly those living in cities, have to leave their children in day-care centers where they don’t get the love and guidance they need to grow into responsible adults. As a result of this many of these children develop behavioral problems. They are also the ones who are more likely to get into bad habits like smoking, drinking and drug abuse. Therefore, it goes without saying that parents who spend too much time at work are doing more harm than good to their children.

However, this does not mean that stay-at-home parents are better than working parents Quitting a job and staying at home may not solve the problem. Instead, what parents need to do is to ensure the quality of the time that they spend with their children. By showing an active interest in their children’s whereabouts parents can ensure that their children don’t feel neglected. The good news is that it doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to show that you care.

In conclusion, when parents spend too much time at work, children are more likely to develop social and behavioural problems. This is definitely an issue that working parents need to resolve if they want their progeny to grow into well-behaving, responsible adults. 

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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