This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of parents spending less and less time with their children today.
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Dave
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Parents Spending Time with Kids
Many parents today do not spend much time with their children.
Why is this?
Does this affect parents or children more?
Real Past IELTS Exam
These days it is becoming increasingly common for parents to spend less and less time with their children. In my opinion, this is because of some distinctly modern distractions and has a far greater effect on children.
Both parents and children are vulnerable to today’s consumer electronics. In the past, parents and children might have been distracted by television or a good book but they were also likely to play a board game together or go for a walk. This started to change with the advent of the internet and portable devices. Many children only care about using their phone or tablet to play games or watch Netflix. Parents are similarly addicted to games, entertainment and the allure of social media. This inclination towards passive entertainment persists even when taking their children out because though parents are physically present, phones often demand most of their attention.
This primarily impacts children as they are more impressionable. Research has shown that the majority of an individual’s personality and habits are formed early in life. If a parent neglects a child in favour of their own desires then they are likely to either act out seeking attention or withdraw into their own shell. The child in question might lack not only the supportive and unconditional love that is essential for a healthy upbringing, but also assume and repeat the negative behaviours of their role models. Many children overcompensate for their parent’s implicit rejection by numbing themselves by retreating into books, television, YouTube, social media or whatever will give them the attention they crave. This long-cultivated trauma can even follow them throughout adulthood.
In conclusion, the growth of consumer electronics is the source of parental neglect and it mainly impairs the mental health of children. Parents must take it on themselves today to find ways to counter the injurious implications of trading their children’s well-being for a sustained glance at a screen.
Analysis
1. These days it is becoming increasingly common for parents to spend less and less time with their children. 2. In my opinion, this is because of some distinctly modern distractions and has a far greater effect on children.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion.
1. Both parents and children are vulnerable to today’s consumer electronics. 2. In the past, parents and children might have been distracted by television or a good book but they were also likely to play a board game together or go for a walk. 3. This started to change with the advent of the internet and portable devices. 4. Many children only care about using their phone or tablet to play games or watch Netflix. 5. Parents are similarly addicted to games, entertainment and the allure of social media. 6. This inclination towards passive entertainment persists even when taking their children out because though parents are physically present, phones often demand most of their attention.
- Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
- I begin to develop my main idea with a comparison to the past.
- Use specific details to support your main idea.
- Continue to support your main idea with clear examples.
- Here I switch to deal with how it affects both children and parents.
- Draw conclusions/state the results.
1. This primarily impacts children as they are more impressionable. 2. Research has shown that the majority of an individual’s personality and habits are formed early in life. 3. If a parent neglects a child in favour of their own desires then they are likely to either act out seeking attention or withdraw into their own shell. 4. The child in question might lack not only the supportive and unconditional love that is essential for a healthy upbringing, but also assume and repeat the negative behaviours of their role models. 5. Many children overcompensate for their parent’s implicit rejection by numbing themselves by retreating into books, television, YouTube, social media or whatever will give them the attention they crave. 6. This long-cultivated trauma can even follow them throughout adulthood.
- Write another topic sentence with another clear main idea at the end.
- You can quote general research to support your ideas.
- I try to include the very specific effects.
- Continue developing the same main idea and don’t switch to a new one.
- Keep stating the full results.
- Conclude with further results – summary isn’t very important.
1. In conclusion, the growth of consumer electronics is the source of parental neglect and it mainly impairs the mental health of children. 2. Parents must take it on themselves today to find ways to counter the injurious implications of trading their children’s well-being for a sustained glance at a screen.
- Repeat your opinion.
- Include a final thought/detail.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
These days it is becoming increasingly common for parents to spend less and less time with their children. In my opinion, this is because of some distinctly modern distractions and has a far greater effect on children.
Both parents and children are vulnerable to today’s consumer electronics. In the past, parents and children might have been distracted by television or a good book but they were also likely to play a board game together or go for a walk. This started to change with the advent of the internet and portable devices. Many children only care about using their phone or tablet to play games or watch Netflix. Parents are similarly addicted to games, entertainment and the allure of social media. This inclination towards passive entertainment persists even when taking their children out because though parents are physically present, phones often demand most of their attention.
This primarily impacts children as they are more impressionable. Research has shown that the majority of an individual’s personality and habits are formed early in life. If a parent neglects a child in favour of their own desires then they are likely to either act out seeking attention or withdraw into their own shell. The child in question might lack not only the supportive and unconditional love that is essential for a healthy upbringing, but also assume and repeat the negative behaviours of their role models. Many children overcompensate for their parent’s implicit rejection by numbing themselves by retreating into books, television, YouTube, social media or whatever will give them the attention they crave. This long-cultivated trauma can even follow them throughout adulthood.
In conclusion, the growth of consumer electronics is the source of parental neglect and it mainly impairs the mental health of children. Parents must take it on themselves today to find ways to counter the injurious implications of trading their children’s well-being for a sustained glance at a screen.
Answers
these days nowadays
increasingly common more and more popular
less and less time not as much time with
distinctly modern distractions new ways of grabbing your attention
far greater effect much larger impact
vulnerable can be exploited
consumer electronics phones, tables, TVs, etc.
distracted not paying attention
good book a book you like
board game games like Monopoly
advent beginning of
portable devices phones, tablets
similarly addicted also can’t stop using
allure attraction
inclination towards passive entertainment persists tendency to watch things and not be active continues
though despite
physically present there in person
demand most of their attention take most of their time
primarily impacts mostly effects
impressionable easily influenced
majority most of
formed early in life starts from childhood
neglects not pay attention to
in favour of preferring
desires wants
act out seeking attention have bad behaviour to get attention
withdraw into their own shell become passive, less open/active
lack don’t have
supportive helpful
unconditional love caring without conditions
healthy upbringing supporting environment
assume take on
repeat do again
negative behaviours bad actions
overcompensate go to far in reacting to
implicit rejection not explicitly stated dissaproval of
numbing not feeling
retreating hiding away from
crave want
long-cultivated trauma long period of neglect/hurt
follow them throughout adulthood stay with them forever
consumer electronics phones, TVs, etc.
parental neglect parents not paying attention/caring
mainly impairs mostly hurts
counter the injurious implications fight back against the hurtful effects
trading swapping
children’s well-being mental/physical health
sustained glance at a screen looking a long time at your device
Pronunciation
Listen and repeat:
ðiːz deɪz
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkɒmən
lɛs ænd lɛs taɪm
dɪsˈtɪŋktli ˈmɒdən dɪsˈtrækʃənz
fɑː ˈgreɪtər ɪˈfɛkt
ˈvʌlnərəbl
kənˈsjuːmər ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks
dɪsˈtræktɪd
gʊd bʊk
bɔːd geɪm
ˈædvənt
ˈpɔːtəbl dɪˈvaɪsɪz
ˈsɪmɪləli əˈdɪktɪd
əˈljʊə
ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən təˈwɔːdz ˈpæsɪv ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt pəˈsɪsts
ðəʊ
ˈfɪzɪkəli ˈprɛznt
dɪˈmɑːnd məʊst ɒv ðeər əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n
ˈpraɪmərɪli ˈɪmpækts
ɪmˈprɛʃnəbl
məˈʤɒrɪti
fɔːmd ˈɜːli ɪn laɪf
nɪˈglɛkts
ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv
dɪˈzaɪəz
ækt aʊt ˈsiːkɪŋ əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n
wɪðˈdrɔː ˈɪntuː ðeər əʊn ʃɛl
læk
səˈpɔːtɪv
ˌʌnkənˈdɪʃənl lʌv
ˈhɛlθi ˈʌpˌbrɪŋɪŋ
əˈsjuːm
rɪˈpiːt
ˈnɛgətɪv bɪˈheɪvjəz
ˌəʊvəˈkɒmpɛnseɪt
ɪmˈplɪsɪt rɪˈʤɛkʃən
ˈnʌmɪŋ
rɪˈtriːtɪŋ
kreɪv
lɒŋ-ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪd ˈtrɔːmə
ˈfɒləʊ ðɛm θru(ː)ˈaʊt əˈdʌlthʊd
kənˈsjuːmər ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks
pəˈrɛntl nɪˈglɛkt
ˈmeɪnli ɪmˈpeəz
ˈkaʊntə ði ɪnˈʤʊərɪəs ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃənz
ˈtreɪdɪŋ
ˈʧɪldrənz wɛl-ˈbiːɪŋ
səsˈteɪnd glɑːns æt ə skriːn
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
T____________s it is becoming i_____________________________n for parents to spend l_____________________e with their children. In my opinion, this is because of some d_______________________________s and has a f________________________t on children.
Both parents and children are v________________e to today’s c_____________________s. In the past, parents and children might have been d_______________d by television or a g_____________k but they were also likely to play a b________________e together or go for a walk. This started to change with the a___________t of the internet and p__________________s. Many children only care about using their phone or tablet to play games or watch Netflix. Parents are s_________________d to games, entertainment and the a__________e of social media. This i___________________________________________________s even when taking their children out because t__________h parents are p___________________t, phones often d_________________________________n.
This p_________________________s children as they are more i__________________e. Research has shown that the m___________y of an individual’s personality and habits are f_______________________e. If a parent n___________s a child i____________f their own d___________s then they are likely to either a_____________________________n or w___________________________________l. The child in question might l_______k not only the s__________________e and u____________________e that is essential for a h_____________________g, but also a_____________e and r___________t the n________________________s of their role models. Many children o_______________________e for their parent’s i____________________n by n_______________g themselves by r________________g into books, television, YouTube, social media or whatever will give them the attention they c________e. This l_____________________________a can even f______________________________d.
In conclusion, the growth of c___________________s is the source of p__________________________t and it m__________________s the mental health of children. Parents must take it on themselves today to find ways to c_________________________________s of t_______________g their c_________________________g for a s______________________________n.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Learn more about emotional abuse from parents here:
Reading Practice
Read more about how screen time affects parenting here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/the-dangers-of-distracted-parenting/561752/
Speaking Practice
Answer these relevant questions from the speaking exam below:
Spending Time Alone
Do you spend a lot of time by yourself?
What do you usually do when you’re by yourself?
Has what you do when your’re by yourself changed a lot?
Is it important to have time for yourself?
Real Past IELTS Exam
Writing Practice
Write about the following topic then check with my sample answer below:
Many parents encourage young people to leave home when they become older, while others think they should stay at home with the family.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Real Past IELTS Exam
Nowadays, more and more parents have no enough time to spend on their children. In my opinion, this is happening because parents are building a successful career along with the preparation for a better future of their children. However, it has a significant effect on children’s development.
Parents are indeed responsible for the financial support of their children that is why they need to work harder. They are giving too much effort in generating profit to support their children’s financial needs such as education and luxury. However, as a result of busyness, their time to communicate with children is greatly affected. According to research, family bonding is truly essential to have a better relationship and to avoid a child’s developmental problem, but many parents fail to manage this. Because of their hectic schedule to earn money, they are spending less time on their children.
This has a tremendous impact on children’s mental development. Parents’ quality time with children is important to build their well-being. A breakdown of communication and family bonding could lead to children’s emotional distress. To avoid developmental problems and mitigate risky behavior of children, proper guidance such as a simple talk and time to listen is vital. A recent study shows that children’s behavioral problems such as being anti-social, alcohol abuse, and illegal use of drugs are intensified by an unhealthy family relationship. Parents’ attention has a significant role in influencing children’s desire and perspective in life.
In conclusion, it is true that parents are obliged to work for their children’s necessities. However, they must put in mind that in order to attain positive development, their children need care, guidance, love, discipline, and encouragement along the way.
Great writing Jessica – keep it up!