GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 327
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that children should be given some freedom to make mistakes, while others argue that adults should prevent them from doing so.
Discuss both 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:
Some people argue that children should sometimes be allowed to enjoy the freedom to commit mistakes, yet others feel that adults ought to adopt a preventive approach whenever they feel that their children are going to commit any errors. This essay believes that while allowing children the freedom to make mistakes can form bad behaviour to some extent, freedom is more important because it boosts self-confidence as well as wisdom.
To begin with, some people think that the liberty for children to make mistakes can lead to a form of misbehaviour and they might take them for granted. They go on arguing that some children may be inclined to fail from the way of reason than others. In simple words, if a child is not guided properly, he or she could become an irrational being because the minds of children are as comfortably turned this or that way as water itself. This is why, for example, many parents in our country, think that children should never be allowed to make any errors and they should always guide their offspring toward good actions.
Nevertheless, if children are given the freedom to make some occasional mistakes, it can bolster their self-confidence and develop wisdom by learning from their mistakes. In other words, a child develops self-confidence when he or she is allowed to make a decision on his or her own, which is something children need to become mature. Most of my cousins, who were given the freedom to make decisions in many instances and commit some mistakes turned out to be more responsible individuals in their later life. I believe that, when children do something by trial and error, they test many different methods of doing something so as to find the best. This helps them to be confident and they are not too afraid of failure when trying new things. Beyond this, as children are granted to make some mistakes, they will learn from the natural consequences and will make sensible decisions in the future.
To conclude, while allowing children the space to make mistakes can cause misbehaviour, I wholeheartedly believe that granting children some freedom to commit mistakes would develop self-confidence and understanding, which is far more valuable later in life.