Essay 89 – Allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 89

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

To what extent children should be given freedom of choices on everyday issues like food, clothes, TV programmes, and free-time activities has sparked heated debate. With unlimited freedom, according to many, children are likely to become self-centred and they naturally think of their own desires only. However, others believe children should make their own decisions as it helps grow a sense of responsibility in them. But, in my opinion, parents ought to dictate their children’s choices so as to make them more conscious of others.

Children who have absolute freedom in daily matters, start believing that they can do whatever they want. And when those children grow up, they are likely to believe that their own wishes are important while everything else is secondary. Consequently, they become egocentric adults resulting in a society of selfish individuals.

On the contrary, children who are allowed to make their own decisions will naturally develop a keen sense of responsibility. That is to say, they will learn how to take responsibility for their actions. Also, this practice helps them develop problem-solving skills through trial and error. The rationale behind the view is that natural consequences are the best teacher.

However, I firmly believe that parents should often dictate children’s choice as these children are not fully mature and capable of making suitable decisions. Many a time, children’s decisions are not based on experience or knowledge. A case in point is junk food which is detrimental to health, but a favourite to most children. If given the freedom, many children would prefer to eat fast food all day long. If parents allow them to eat such junk food regularly, children will become morbidly obese, which in turn will increase the risk of heart disease and reduce their life-span. Therefore, parents should give dietary advice and often control what their offsprings eat.

To conclude, how much liberty children should be given on everyday matters is a controversial topic. Although decision-making rights help them in some ways, I think parents ought to dictate their choices to some extent so that they can make the right choices and they can learn to honour others’ opinion and decision.