Some People Believe That Children Should Do What Their Parents Tell Them To Do | Band 9 IELTS Essay Sample

Some people believe that children should do what their parents tell them to do; others think children must learn to think for themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Here is a band 9 IELTS essay on this topic. Need help with IELTS writing module? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 9 IELTS essay sample

Some parents, especially those who are known as helicopter parents, believe that children should always follow their instructions. However, others have a contrasting view. In their opinion, children should be encouraged to think and act independently. I agree with the latter opinion.

Parents who want to have strict control over their children believe that it is the best way of parenting. There are certainly some positive aspects to this style of parenting. To start with, children can benefit from the immense experience of their parents. Since parents know better than children, in most situations they will be able to make more informed decisions. However, there are also some downsides to this approach. For one thing, times have changed. The challenges that our kids face today are entirely different from what we faced when we were their age. As a result, the assumption that parents can always make the right decisions does not hold much water in the current scenario.

By contrast, if children are encouraged to think independently, they develop confidence which will stand them in good stead when they grow up. For example, children with independent thinking skills would prefer to work out a solution rather than ask other people for help when they are confronted with a problem. On the other hand, children who are used to getting told what to do are reluctant to take initiatives and when they meet difficulties at work or life, their first reaction is to ask their parents for help. Obviously, it is not difficult to see which of these two types of kids will become successful later in life.

In conclusion, compared to children who are always told what to do, children who think and act independently have better problem solving skills and confidence which will benefit them immensely when they face problems in life. Hence, I believe that children should be encouraged to think for themselves.

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16 Responses

  1. TARUN says:

    1st flaw: The challenges that our kids(informal word) face today are entirely different from what we faced when we were their age.
    you have written this sentence in the first body paragraph which gives an impression that this essay has been written by a parent, which shouldn’t be the case and an improvement on this could be as follows: The challenges that the children face today are entirely different from what their parents faced when they were their age.
    I believe that children should be encourages to think for themselves.
    this is the last sentence of your essay, it should be : I believe that children should be ENCOURAGED to think for themselves.

    • ielts practice says:

      Yes. It should be ‘encouraged’. I rectified that error. However, I do not quite agree with your first remark.

  2. NB says:

    There is no doubt that in the contemporary world both parents and children need to work in collaboration to reach a decision. However, some parents opine that children will be benefited if they act as told by parents; others believe youngsters should learn by experience. In this essay, we will discuss these views before reaching an empirical conclusion.
    To begin with, some parents believe that they have years of experience and if imparted to youngsters, they would be benefited. For example, parents being in the professional life are familiar with most of the high package remuneration jobs and hence, can choose better academic subjects in institutes of higher education for their child. In addition, parents being mature can discriminate between the in-suit information present on the internet if they have to take additional knowledge on a subject.
    Conversely, others believe that parents should let minors take their own decision. In most of the cases it is observed that spoon-fed children when move out of the house are seemed to do poorly with both personal and professional life. This is because they are unsure how to analyse or tackle a situation. Besides, all their life they have relied on other people, such as parents or teachers, to choose what is acceptable for them. Consequently, supporting minor in choosing their decision will facilitate them to groom into an intellect individual.
    To conclude, I would like to say that although parents are mature and have years of experience, they should let children think and take their own decision with a bit of parental guidance.

    • ielts practice says:

      Content can improve. You wrote mainly about decisions concerning academic success. Take care of grammar mistakes. This seems band 6.5 to me.

  3. Rakhi says:

    It is believed by some people that children must follow the instructions according to their parents.However,others have a contrasting view. In their opinion,children should be allowed to determine things independently.I will be discussed both prespectives but i agree with latter opinion.

    To begin with,It is generally believed that parents always strategic plans about their young child’s future which almost beneficial from every aspects.For instance, a child doesnot aware of problems that how to figure out these? due to lake of experience.Although their prompt reations could be harmful and intolerable.On the other hand ,only parents lead to be solve with rational thinking in certain situations.At the same time who teach them in a friendly way. So that,without parent teaching methods children would be confused in every walk of life.Even though our parents are guidance and curical involvement regarded mental,physical,social,finance and career development.There are certainly positive aspects to this style of parenting .For that reason who dedicated their whole life to provide them a backup support as they will be able to feel secure and comfort zone.

    By contrast,If children are fully dependent who will never boost up the confidence for doing any thing. Since to become a independent person explore creativity to learn solution skills of biggest problems or improve the quality of life.It is fact that getting hard to face issues in intitiate level without parenting collaboration but who will have power to make decisions in different activities.The world is entirely changed than before our kid confront the number of challenges in highly competitive approach either work or life. As a result,they used to getting interpret through own experience instead of other people advice. That obviously imply a successfull life

    In conclusion,parents should be motivated for their children which decreased burden of problems who want to solve by themselves to compared those kids who dependend for each task with the help of parents.

  4. Rakhi says:

    I m rakhi here please mam check my ielts writting task 2
    Thanks for your helpful materials

  5. shm says:

    Parents play the most significant role on the children moral and behavioral characteristics. It is believed by some people that children should obey their parents for making decisions while other believes that the children should learn to think and make decisions on their own. In my points of view, parents should help their children to develop their thinking skills but not by forcing them to obey whatever they want. The convincing reasons why children should have the ability to think for themselves not by their parents will going to discussed in this essay.
    In one hand, it is undeniable that parents affect the children ways of thinking and moral personalities as they spend many times with their children on a one to one basis. The children which are being forced to do what their parents say often are in high risk of having not ideal personality and as a result effects on the children future life negatively by making the children disable in thinking by their own and making logical decisions. Accordingly, the children whom are not learn to think practically may become dependent individuals in their life and they lose the ability of thinking out of the box.
    On the other hand, the children may lose the capability of saying <> as they are always force to say <> and do what their parents telling them. Disability in refusing others request may result in following inappropriate people despite having converse opinions and personalities. Consequently, these children are in high risk of being affected by improper friends. A great number of offenders, as an instance, are obedient in their childhood’s life.
    To sum up, the parents should help their children to think logically by educating them the difference between good and bad behavior and the consequence of choosing each group. Moreover, the parents have the responsibility to educate their children how to think out of the box and how to make best decisions in a wide variety of situations.

    • ielts practice says:

      This seems band 6.5 to me. There are lots of grammar mistakes in your essay. Here is the edited version of your introduction.
      Parents play the most significant role in shaping the character of their children. According to some people, children should listen to their parents while making decisions; however, others opine that the children should learn to think and make decisions on their own. In my point of view, parents should help their children to develop their thinking skills and should not force them to do anything. The convincing reasons why children should have the ability to think for themselves will be discussed in this essay.

  6. harjit says:

    There are two opposite views regarding to whom children should follow while getting decisions in life. According to first point of view, children should get the advice of their parents and do whatever they say while other perspective is in favour of independent thinking. The supporters of this belief say that children should do what they like and good for themselves. Here in this essay, i will discuss both these opinion to reach to the conclusion.

    On the one hand, there are some solid reasons that prove children should go behind their parents. The first and foremost reason is that parents are their birth givers and guardians. They know what is good or bad for their children. Secondly, They have life experience and their guidance can make their future bright. For example, illiterate parents know the value of literacy at the present time and guide their children to study hard . In this case, children can make their fortune if they follow this advice.

    Those who oppose above viewpoint justify their belief by saying that children should think themselves because by doing this, they will become skilled in getting right decisions later in life. In other words, their independent skills such as, problem solving skills, critical thinking , quick decision ability , confidence would enhance. Ultimately, their personality would polish. Here, we can give the example of former president Abdul Kalam who followed his dreams, got independent decisions and shine like a star. Moreover, those who do what their parents say become dependent in life and they face lot of problems .They become unable to become independent thinker. In addition to it,They have high chance to go in stress and depression when they failed in their decisions. Furthermore, childhood is the age in which they are unable to think themselves.

    In the conclusion, after analyzing both views i reach to the point that parents should guide their offsprings but at the same time should allow them to do what they like if it is in their favour. In this way, necessary life skills would develop among them.

  7. harjit says:

    Hi there,

    I try again. can you plz check and let me know..thanks

    There are two opposing views on whether children should learn by mistakes or follow the guidance of their parents.According to one point of view, children should take guidance from their parents, removing the necessity to think whilst the other perspective is in favour of free or independent thinking.The supporters of this belief say that children should do what they like and good to learn for themselves. Here in this essay, i will discuss both of these opinions to reach a conclusion.
    On the one hand, there are some solid reasons that prove children should listen to their parents.The first and foremost reason is that parents have the best interests at heart for the child; they know what is good and bad for their children.Secondly, they have life experience and their guidance can help prevent preventable events from occurring. For example, illiterate parents know the value of education and advise them to study hard . In this case, children can make the most of their life and life’s opportunities.
    Those who oppose the above viewpoint justify their belief by saying that children should think for themselves. By doing so, they will become skilled in making the right decisions later in life.In other words, their independent thinking skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, quick decision ability and confidence would develop.Here, we have the example of Mr. Abdul Kalam who worked as an aerospace engineer, followed his dreams, made some life changing decisions and became the president of India. Moreover, those who only do what their parents say become dependent upon others in life and they fail to make decisions themselves. Therefore,They become unable to be independent thinkers. For instance, those who are dependent upon their parents for every decision may be depressed later in life when they fail to make their own independent decisions.

    After consideration of both perspectives, I reached the conclusion that parents should guide their children but at the same time should allow them to grow as independent thinkers.

  8. Cute says:

    There are two different styles of parenting. One is strict-parenting, they expect children should do what parents tell them to do, and the other one is easy-going parenting style, which is antithesis to strict parenting and it helps children to think and take decision on what they do. In my opinion, the latter is more beneficial style of parenting.
    To begin with strict-parenting style, the parents compel children to follow strict rules and regulations and children will be chastised when they fail to follow the precepts. When the children grow up in such a milieu, parents life experience and their instructions may be helpful for them during the young age, but there are chances for them to become diffident in new circumstances as they don’t have enough learning experience in social skills. Sometimes they will become credulous and will fail to assay the situation before taking any action. Since they are indoctrinated heavily, chances are they will become irresolute and will be in dismay when they face involute life problems.
    To the contrary, easy-going parents encourage children to think and help them to take decision. When the children become adult, they gradually develop acumen in life skills and most of the time they are capable of taking right decision. Their learning experience helps them to avoid doing egregious mistakes and prevents them from any debacle in life. They can be gregarious as they know to navigate the different shades of life. During crisis, they don’t addle or dither, instead they are tenacious in their principles and take most pragmatic approach to solve the issue. Furthermore, they are prudent and able to give sharp repartee in difficult conversations.
    To conclude, the remarkable advantages in easy-going parenting style over strict-parenting conveys that it is an incontrovertible fact that easy-going parenting style is the most fruitful way of parenting.

    • ielts practice says:

      This seems band 6.5 to me. Your range of vocabulary is impressive, but there are so many grammar mistakes in this essay.

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