IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic 06: Many families find it necessary for both parents go out to work

In IELTS Writing Task 2, students are asked to write a formal essay of at least 250 words, in 4-5 paragraphs based on the given writing task 2 essay topics. The task is similar for both Academic and General Training with regards to the type of questions and the scoring, but the topics given for General Training will be slightly easier than Academic. Given below is a discussion essay with sample answers that will help you to practise and get a good score.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

In today’s competitive world, many families find it necessary for both parents go out to work. While some say the children in these families benefit from the additional income, others feel they lack support because of their parents’ absence.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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

Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer 1 :

In the past, it was a customary for fathers to be the only breadwinner of the family. Fathers would go out to work and earn money to fulfill the families’ daily needs and mothers would stay home to take care of the children. However, nowadays, it is not rare to find both parents going out to work. Whilst the additional income might bring benefits to everyone especially the children, there are a number of drawbacks that cannot be overlooked. This essay will confer whether or not it is necessary for both parents to go out to earn money for a living.

In some families, both parents are required to work not because of their own will, but because circumstances demand them to. As the cost of living is skyrocketing in today’s competitive world, some families might not earn enough to cover their living cost if only one parent goes out to work. That being the case, there is nothing anyone can do to help. However, the benefit of the extra income for the children still remains unchanged. With more income, parents will be able to afford more new toys, a better school, and even vacation abroad.

On the other hand, children might feel abandoned due to their parents never being there for them. It is also proven that children’s, whose parents are never at home, are more prone to behavioral problems. For instance, my friend, Elaine, whose parents is always working overnight and is never there for her when she needs them, has to battle with her insecurity of being unwanted every day, she in turn tries to seek the attention of her teachers by behaving badly in the class. From my example, you can see how parents’ absence can affect children in the long run.

As far as I am concerned, there is no need for both parents to be working unless it is really necessary. While additional income is benefiting for the children, the presence of a mother will be best for the children’s well-being in the long run.

Sample Answer 2 :

Modern world products and services put extra costs on families. This has led to many of mothers work besides their husbands for their children’s welfare. Although some individuals hold the view that working of both parents may cause problems in children upbringing, others believe parents can pay enough attention to their children as well as work outside.

Some people argue that working of both parents is not good for children because of some important reasons. At first, their children may have not appropriate upbringing. Parents don’t spend enough time for children. Thus, they can’t educate necessary life lessons. This lack may direct children to criminal activities. In addition, children may get moral sicknesses. It is because of they feel themselves lone without any support in necessary times. Loneness of children take their self-confidence. Self-confidence shortage can affect their future life.

However, opponents are of the opinion that both parents can work outside without any problem in home. To begin, they say parents can adjust their daily hours to have enough time for their children.  Mothers or both parents can work part time. They also can make an accurate daily plan for all family members to use their time more effective and efficient. Furthermore, parents can register necessary courses which cover children’s educational needs to both life and school skills. Occupied parents have enough money to spend extra courses costs.

To conclude, though some people believe working of both parents is not useful for children, others don’t believe in it. In my opinion, working of both parents is necessary if it doesn’t harm children’s life. My 2 years child has extra costs which make my wife and I work together. Of course, his living will need more money in future. Providing necessary facilities and support for children’s progress needs enough money. Anyway, I hope parents can make balance between work and family affairs.

Sample Answer 3 :

It is a commonly held belief that family plays a significant role in children’s entire life and formation of children is affected positively and negatively by their parents. Parents should carry the accountability for supplying their children with financial and spiritual factors. The argument that a number of families necessarily consider both parents to go out to work is argued by people who are for and against this idea. Supporters’ and detractors’ thoughts will be discussed and recapitulate in this essay.

On the one side of the argument, those who support this idea claim that in an effort to provide family sufficiently, nowadays both parents are subjected to work since the expenditure of today’s family has increased considerably compared to the past. If both parents work somewhere, they can earn more money and it gives family a plethora of chances to benefit. For instance, if the family income is higher, parents are able to afford to study their children at private schools or universities and also, children can join an array of courses for improving their foreign language skills or various internships for escalating their experiences or travel abroad for broadening their horizons.

On the other hand, those who detract this argument believe that finance is less imperative than spiritual factor for children. One of two parents in each family should take care of their children and nurture them efficiently. While both parents are working, children may be lonely at home and they can feel forgotten, thus this point can lead to several problems. For example, if parents neglect to control their children, children may be involved in diverse malevolent deeds such as using drugs and joining gangsters. For this reason, at the very least one of two parents should be housekeeper for children’s upbringing and keep an eye on their children.

In the light of the above discussion, hold the idea that children stand to benefit from the fact that both parents go to work. However, the issue lies in the balance parents strive for between work and family. If parents manage to balance their times spent at their workplace and family, their children’s development are certain to be guaranteed.

Sample Answer 4 :

In this competitive world, many parents are bound to go out for work. While some people argue that children of these parents benefit from this extra income, others contend that they lack support as a result of their parents’ absence due to their busy working life. Today’s financial condition pushes both parents engage in jobs in order to ensure proper maintenance their children. I am of the opinion that it is hard for both parents to avoid job and so they have to find a way to keep a good balance between work and family life in order to control drawbacks of this situation.

Having both parents work outside the home can cater various problems. Firstly, the most fundamental need of a child is love and care. While both parents are busy with their own job responsibilities, children might feel destitute which may translate into severe psychological imbalance. Moreover, in many cases, parents fail to harmonize their family and work life together. This has a direct impact on children’s life. When parents can spend less time with their kids because of their work pressure, it would decrease interaction and that ultimately harms family bondage. Furthermore, parents are the model for their children. They can learn good morals from their parents. In this case, working parents cannot always be able to serve this purpose. Therefore, the children of working parents often lack values.

However, I contend that parents can ensure their children a cozy life, if both the parents work. They can afford to send their children to a better school, a better health care service for their children, and so forth. Children of the working parents may get whatever they want to. They can be enrolled in extra curriculum activities like after school programs. Job holder parents can provide children with expensive clothes, toys and many learning materials which satisfy these children greatly. In my case, as my parents are both working, I need to do all the things myself such as making my meal or washing my own cloths. This situation makes me self-dependent and at same time I learn time management and can enjoy my freedom. I also learn that work is a crucial part of life.

To recapitulate, both parents have no option but doing job in order to bring prosperity for their children. In this context, what parents need is to acknowledge that kids mental and emotional needs are equally worthy as their material needs in order to insure a bright tomorrow for them.

Sample Answer 5 :

The increasing rate of development taking place in the last centuries has improved people’s living standard, making our lives much more comfortable. Comfortable as it is, life is not easier as is supposed but more competitive and complicated.  It turns to be much more difficult for a modern family to make both ends meet, and the model of family in which father is the only bread-winner while mother staying at home takes care for the whole family has become irrelevant in many countries nowadays, paving the way for the new model in which both parents have to participate in working to earn money. This situation, though relevant it would be in such a competitive world, still casts a doubt on many people, who remain skeptical about the negative impacts of parents’absence on the development of children. The others, however, believe that children stand to benefit from the additional income.

Firstly, let’s take the first opinion which states that parents’absence would lead to a lack of support to children. To a certain extent, I agree with this. As life has become more competitive, parents have to expend much more time and effort at work to guarantee a sustainable source of income for the whole family. As a result, time spared with their children have to be reduced. Some children, without parents observing, often find it difficult to self-orientate. They are likely to go with bad friends, getting involved in unhealthy activities. Other children, fortunately, do not become bad ones; however, a lack of support from parents may make them lose direction in their life, becoming autism due to the dsiappearance of the bond between children and parents. They may turn to friends for help; nonetheless, the help from friends cannot always replace the support from parents.

Some other people subscribe to a view that the situation in which both parents go to work is beneficial to their children. The first benefit, undoubtedly, is the additional income for family as a whole. Children in these families have more possibilities to approach better educational and medical service, which is favorable to their development. There still exist other benefits obtained from the practice. Children in lacks of support from parents tend to be much more independent. They are likely to have ability to make their own decisions without great dependence on their parents. This independence would be very helpful for their future. Other benefit would come from the emotional side. As we all know, parents have significant impacts on the process of shaping the personalities of their children. Children with working parents tend to be much more confident and independent because on observing the work of their parents, they are about to have better understanding about the world of careers, becoming familiar with workplace by listening to the stories about jobs shared by their parents, which in turn proves to be helpful to their future orientation. Some researches have shown that girls with working mother have tendency to be much more independentwhen they grow up and they are not likely to be desperate victim of gender inequality in their future families or workpplaces.

In the light of the above discussion, I, therefore, hold the idea that children stand to benefit from the fact that both parents go to work. The matter, however, lies in the balance parents strive for between work and family. If parents manage to balance their times spent at their workplace and family, their children’s development are certain to be guaranteed.

Sample Answer 6 :

With the current economic crisis, it is difficult to maintain a family. Thus, both parents need to work in order to guarantee the economic stability of a family. While, some people argue that this is fine, many others think that the absence of parents can have adverse effects on a child’s development. This essay will illustrate the reasons for this.

Nowadays, it is common to see both parents employed. Therefore, the children grow up with babysitters, or with grandparents. These parents, can merely find some time for their children. Because, they dedicate much of their time to earn money. For example, some of my colleagues have children, and when I ask them “How much time do you spend with your children?” They reply “Well, around one hour a day. Isn’t it enough?”. It is common belief among these parents, that nannies can replace them, and the children would be fine without their parents.

On the other hand, the lack of the presence of parents can have a negative impact on the children. For example, some of my friends grew up without much support from their parents. As a result, I usually see that they have no respect for adults. Moreover, these my friends do not even care about the wellbeing of their parents. It is safe to assume, that when these people will become parents, they will treat their children the same way they had been treated when they were young.
In my opinion, parent’s presence is a must for the growth of a child. Therefore, they should dedicate much more time for their children.

Sample Answer 7 :

In our modern world, it is very rare to find a family where one of the parents is a home keeper even though it was considered the norm for a woman to stay at home to look after the children and maintain the household in the past. Financially speaking, it is difficult for a family to survive on the salary of a single parent.

Times have changed, prices have increased and basic necessities have become difficult to afford. In addition, children of today are materialistic, competitive and demanding. It is important for them to keep up with the latest fashion and own the newest gadgets as these products are an indication of their high social status.

Unfortunately in order to please their children and offer them material wealth, parents often neglect to give their children the appropriate emotional support that is required for their development. Due to their absence, parents do not spend enough quality time with their children so they do not know them very well. What is more, children often grow up resenting their parents for not giving them any attention. If they had a choice, most children would choose spending time with their parents rather than being spoilt.

To sum up, parents feel guilty that they have to spend so much time away from home and compensate for this by over spending on their children. Although they benefit in terms of having everything they desire, a parent’s support is equally, if not more, important.

Sample Answer 8 :

In modern world, women are no longer supposed to stay at home and take after their children like they used to do in the past. It is normal for both parents to have their own job nowadays. As a result, there is a warm controversy among people about whether both parents go out for work or they should give top priority to bring up their kids.

In my opinion, I think children from family where both parents work may have some certain advantages. First, children are taught about self-awareness and responsibility in their young age, which is really helpful in the future when they start their life without their mom and dad. For example, a child whose parents give too much concern for might be homesick or even shock when they first going far from home like studying in another cities or overseas; meanwhile, an independent kid will have no difficulty in managing their life when they have to live on their own. Second, children can also benefit from extra income if both parents has an occupation.

However, “Every coin has its two sides”. Parents’ regular absence from home can also cause consequences. Sometimes children have problems with their homework and they need their parents’ help, also children may be with bad friends and commit a crime. Moreover, there are various jobs which require going out a lot for appointments and events that parents cannot pay fully attention to their kids in many aspects such as education, health care or entertainment.

To sum up, I believe that both parents should go out to work. They must know how to keep a balance between work and family so that they will not only be a great worker with valuable contribution to the society but also be a good father and mother for their kids.

Sample Answer 9 :

Competitive life has placed such a financial burden on many families that it is hard to live on one parent’s salary. While some believe that both parents’ income is beneficial for children, I would argue that it is parental support that plays an important role in their life.

On one hand, having more than one breadwinner in a family is advantageous for some reasons. First, it is possible for parents to carry out more satisfactory and rewarding childcare. Children in rural areas, for example, are unfortunately denied the chance of going to school because parents’ income is limited. However, these privileged children whose parents are usually economically successful are more likely to succeed in future career. Further, taking care of themselves without parental support is also a good way to develop essential life skills such as self-protection.

While the benefits of having additional income may be true to certain extent, I strongly believe that the lack of family bond due to parents’ absence may pose some threats to their children. First, they are not adequately provided with love and care from their birth givers. Parents who are under tremendous time pressure at work are not sensitive enough to notice any changes in teenagers’ mental life and thus, unable to share their story. In other words, they may feel more distant from the family and become isolated or even autistic. Parents can also lose control over their children considering little amount of time spent with them. As a result, they are likely to indulge in several social evils such as game-addition or drinking.

From the above-mentioned reasons, it seems to me that it is more essential to build a strong family connection in comparison with a financial state. Therefore, parents’ work should be distributed in order to spend more time with their children

Sample Answer 10 :

In today’s competitive world, many families find it necessary for both parents to go out to work. While some say the children in these families benefit from the additional income, others feel they lack support because of their parents’ absence.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

    Today’s economical situation leaves no doubt for both parents to go out to work. In any case the effects of this behavior on children is of a great importance. In this essay I will support the fact that how this phenomenon benefits the children economically, mentally and socially.

    Many people are more concerned about childhood depression or family imbalance as some disadvantages of this situation. One serious threat in such as situation is that parents might gradually forget the most basic and genuine need of their children which is sentimental care. In a simple word, children might be forgotten while both parents are busy with their daily work life. Moreover, many people may suffer from family imbalance which is due to the fact that they cannot harmonize their work and life together. This is a situation which directly degrade a child’s life. As a wost case example, I can say such an event may lead to parental separation eventually which has a huge impact on a child’s life. However, I think most of mentioned situations can be moderated if parents act wisely.

    I believe that parents can make more money and bring more prosperity for the whole family if they both work. As a result they can put their children in a better social condition. For example parents can now afford to send their children to language schools which is a result of good family financial condition. Another advantage of this situation is that children can mentally learn that work is an important part of life. Therefore, they intuitively repeat their parents’ pattern when they grow up, so they can pay it forward to their next generations. Last but not least, children can also take benefit of that socially because they have been grown up in a family in which both parents were socialized.

    In conclusion, I think the idea of both parents attend in professional work brings more advantages to the children in contrast to its flaws. Financial situation of the whole family will be improved, children can learn hard-work from their parents and also it has many benefits for the parents themselves.

Sample Answer 11 :

In modern world, women are no longer supposed to stay at home and take after their children like they used to do in the past. It is normal for both parents to have their own job nowadays. As a result, there is a warm controversy among people about whether both parents go out for work or they should give top priority to bring up their kids.

In my opinion, I think children from family where both parents work may have some certain advantages. First, children are taught about self-awareness and responsibility in their young age, which is really helpful in the future when they start their life without their mom and dad. For example, a child whose parents give too much concern for might be homesick or even shock when they first going far from home like studying in another cities or overseas; meanwhile, an independent kid will have no difficulty in managing their life when they have to live on their own. Second, children can also benefit from extra income if both parents has an occupation.

However, “Every coin has its two sides”. Parents’ regular absence from home can also cause consequences. Sometimes children have problems with their homework and they need their parents’ help, also children may be with bad friends and commit a crime. Moreover, there are various jobs which require going out a lot for appointments and events that parents cannot pay fully attention to their kids in many aspects such as education, health care or entertainment.

To sum up, I believe that both parents should go out to work. They must know how to keep a balance between work and family so that they will not only be a great worker with valuable contribution to the society but also be a good father and mother for their kids.

Sample Answer 12 :

In the past,father was used to go out and earn money to support the family whereas mother usually stayed at home and taking care of the children.Now-a-days,it is the norm for both of them to work because that’s how they can facilitate their children with all the facilities such as,video games,expensive mobiles,foreign holidays and many more luxuries.On the other hand,some people argue that in the absence of the parents,especially mother,they might feel alone hence they deserve their parent’s attention and support than anything else.Moreover,children need help in their homework and exam revision.Besides,it is more important to understand the needs for the children in terms of emotional affection,and it could be only possible if parents give time to their children rather providing with them all the facilities.
Furthermore,females used to be less educated in the past hence they never concentrate on working after marriage and always kept themselves busy with the children and domestic chores,but today,every single female wants to work and focus on her career to achieve certain goals.However,it does not mean it negatively affects their children.Infact,working parents can be more well-mannered,organised and disciplined that’s how they can better provide upbringing to their children.
In conclusion,although it has become a trend for both the parents to work these days,but resultantly,time issues and negligence somehow can not be ignored.

Sample Answer 13 :

Nowadays, the increasing number of double income families is significantly. The number of parents with jobs is many more than it was a few decades ago. Do we really need doubled income to support our family, while left our children all alone. In this essay, I intend to give both advantages and disadvantages on both side and, moreover, my own position on this issue.

Firstly, what can children benefit from those additional income? As we all know, a proper education is vital to our next generation because it is the key to a better life. With this extra income, children will be able to access an higher quality education, such as a private school or course for skills in music, arts or sports. Secondly, the basic living stander will be risen higher. This money not only benefit to the children but also benefit all of its family members in a better food, housing condition and advanced health medicare.

In the contract, parents might higher the stander of living and education quality for their kids, but it is possible to have some negative effects because of the absence of both parents during their childhood. It is clear if both parents have jobs, then their children will have more time alone. This situation often lead those kinds into a crime committer because of bad friends.

By way of conclusion, as can be seem above, there are many pros and corns toward this issue. This trade, however, seems very hard to be reversed so parents should pay more attention to their children while they keep their career at the same time.

Sample Answer 14 :

The world has encountered great revolutions, inventions and wars in the past few centuries. This has led to the change in the way the world and its people function. Gone are the days when women had to do “purdah” or they were denied voting powers. This is the era when “women empowerment” is being demanded by men. We are living in times when there is more of equality and moreover the competitive levels have significantly increased. We all want to live a luxurious life and this has led to a trend of both parents working.
There are people of the opinion that it is important for both the parents to work in such competitive times, if they want to survive. Working parents do bring in great advantages along with. Firstly, they are able to provide better facilities and standard of living to their children. Secondly, if both parents work, it ensures that they both are making good use of the education that they have taken. Even more, working makes a person more independent.
On the other hand, few believe that if both parents work, it deprives the child of the care and the nurture he/she deserves. This happens when the child is in his/her growing years. Parents are the best teachers and their absence surely creates a void which no tuition teacher can fill. Even more, if children don’t see their parents often in their growing years, they tend to lose contact with them, causing troubles in later years.
Overall, a balanced life can always be the way out. Leaving job might make several talented individuals dependent on their better halves and keeping it might be unfair to their children. I believe that both the parents should do a job if they can give their undue attention to the child and his/her life before they go out to work.

Sample Answer 15 :

In past it was a tradition that only male members of the family should go out and earn for everyone. However, today time is changed. There is so much competition outside that both parents has to go and earn for a better sake.
Nowadays, everything is cost worth. From food to clothes. Natural goods to artificial things. Price is reaching to its maximum peak. Even to live a normal life every member of the family is earning. Still, sometimes they lack with their general needs. Although, everyone wants to live a luxurious life and to get that with a good amount of brass.
So there are various reasons why both male and female parent go out to work and earn for their family. Some, people believe that children in these families get benefit from the additional income. I partially agree as if we talk about schools fees and other expenditure on education yes they do get benefit!
Education system is moreover a business. Tutors take a lot of amount from the parents in order to give their sibling better education. Even categories are made in this field. Those people who are poor and don’t have enough income can’t send their young children to fancy schools. Instead, they only have an option of local schools which run either on charity on with the help of Government trust.
Other side children in these families lack support. As their parents go outside to earn and proper attention and care are not given to them. Due to which sometimes it leads to major consequences.
As per my opinion, this situation can’t be avoided. Expenses are increasing each day and income is decreasing. So, it’s natural that both parents has to work in families for better survival.

Sample Answer 16 :

In the past, a typical family consisted of a father who went out to work and a mother who stayed at home and looked after the children. Nowadays, it is the norm for both parents to work. This situation can affect children both positively and negatively.

Some people think that the children of working parents are in an advantages position were their parents are able to afford more luxuries such as new clothes, video games or mobile phones. Proponents of this view argue that children are able to enjoy and experience more from life due their parents’ extra wealth, for example, by going foreign holidays.

On the other hand, however, there are those who claim that when both parents work, their children do not get enough support and attention; meaning that these children might not do as well at school because there is no one at home to provide support with such things as homework or exam revision. The absence of parents at home could make it easier for children to get involved in such things as drugs or underage drinking.

When I was growing up, both my parents worked and I was always well provided for. On the other hand, I think that it would sometimes have been better if I could have seen more of my parents.

In conclusion, I believe that we cannot change the fact that both parents have to work nowadays, It is not an ideal situation, but if parents make time for their children in the evenings and at the weekends, then the children will not suffer in any way. It must be stated that the extra income generated by both parents working, makes for a much higher standard of living which benefits the whole family.

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