Band 9 essay sample | Keeping pets can cause health problems in children

Essay topic

Some people think that keeping pets is good for children while others think it is dangerous and unhealthy. Which opinion do you agree with? Discuss both options and give examples.

Sample essay

Whether to have a pet or not remains a controversial issue. While some people are against having pets, in my opinion, domestic animals have a positive impact on our physical and psychological health and wellbeing. Also they make great companions for our children.

People who are against having pets argue that playing with them can cause serious health problems in human beings especially children. Of course, there are people who keep spiders and snakes as their pets. These creatures are certainly dangerous and pose considerable threat to the life of their owners. However, the vast majority of pets do not belong to this category. Another argument against keeping pets is that they can cause skin allergies and aggravate bronchial asthma. These health concerns are real and I feel that people who are susceptible to them should stay away from animals. Animal rights activists also claim that keeping pets away from their natural habitats will affect their health and the food chain. However, in my opinion, if their owners take good care of them, keeping them at home is unlikely to have any adverse impact on their health.

While it is true that keeping a pet may have some ill effects on our health, the benefits of having one are more significant. Pets improve our mood and health. Playing with the pets or taking them for a walk will keep both children and adults fit and healthy. What’s more, most people keep dogs, cats and fish; however, serious accidents caused by pets remain rare and statistically insignificant. Last but not the least, having a pet makes children more responsible. They learn to take care of another life and also become more sensitive, caring and sympathetic.

To sum up, although there are some minor drawbacks to owning a pet, in my opinion, the advantages of having a pet are far more significant. Pets make great companions and prevent depression in children and adults.

 

Manjusha Nambiar

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

4 Responses

  1. Cauveri says:

    Hi Ma’am – Please provide a band for below question:

    Some people think that keeping pets is good for children while others think it is dangerous and unhealthy. Which opinion do you agree with? Discuss both options and give examples.

    Pet animals have played a pivotal role in the lives of human beings. Some people opine that keeping animals as pets has a positive impact on youngsters, while others vehemently contend that this can be hazardous for children. I strongly agree with the former agreement.

    On the one hand, proponents of the view that domestic animals are good for children, state numerous reasons. Firstly, having a pet inculcates in children the habit of taking care of another living creature. There is ample scientific evidence to bolster the unequivocal and irrefutable argument that this develops in children various traits that are necessary for life, including time management, discipline, and empathy. Secondly, children get a companion at an early age that they can spend their time with. This is especially critical for children with no siblings. For instance, a single child with no companion is more prone to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

    On the other hand, few people believe that allowing children to take care of pets is not a good idea. They opine that children feel overwhelmed and overburdened in taking care of domestic animals, and are not able to make judicious use of their time. Children are already pre-occupied with myriad activities throughout the day, like completing school assignments and attending coaching classes. This leaves little or no room to take care of pets and can rather act as an impediment to their career. Furthermore, they believe that children with limited life experiences and knowledge will not be able to take care of another living being. According to these people, some pet animals can be potentially dangerous for children. For example, there have been reports around how few breeds of dogs like German Shepherd and Bulldogs have attacked young owners.

    To conclude, pets form an intrinsic part of people’s lives and while there are few obvious demerits of allowing children to have pets, like the possibility of being attacked and excessive time consumption, I strongly believe that taking care of pets is essential to inculcate positive habits and to allow overall development of a child.

    • Manjusha Nambiar says:

      This is close to band 7. You believe that it is good to keep pets, so you have to downplay the disadvantages.

  2. Cauveri says:

    Hi Ma’am, please provide a band for below question and answer:

    Many people believe that cooking is an essential life skill and should be taught to boys and girls in schools. Others disagree and believe it is a waste of school time. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

    Cooking is considered by some individuals as a pivotal and quintessential skill which should be taught in educational institutions. While others vehemently contend this view and believe that it is a non-essential skill. I strongly agree with the former argument.

    On the one hand, learning cooking in the initial years serves numerous advantages. Years of practicing and rearing such a skill, since adolescence, allows a child to hone their natural talent. Furthermore, cooking is essential not only as a hobby, but it can turn into a prospective career in the future. There is ample scientific evidence to bolster the unequivocal and irrefutable argument that indulging in creative fields, like the culinary arts can allow an overall development of a human being. For instance, the world’s greatest chefs pursued their interest in this field since childhood, and therefore could climb the ladder of success. Moreover, the cognitive capacity of children is significantly greater than adults; therefore, teaching during this age is of utmost importance.

    On the other hand, proponents of the latter view believe that, teaching pupils cooking has a plethora of demerits. Firstly, they believe that school curriculum should focus on theoretical subjects, like Mathematics and Science, which would help children prosper in their careers. They believe that teaching students cooking can be a waste of time, resources and energy, for both teachers as well as students. Secondly, they believe that using stoves can be hazardous as LPG leaks can cause a fire outbreak, risking the lives of innocent children.

    To conclude, there are a few demerits of teaching children cooking during early life stages; however, as per my opinion, the merits significantly outweigh the demerits. The addition of cooking as a necessary subject during secondary education is critical to hone the creative talent of children.

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