Nowadays Television and the Internet Have a Greater Influence on Children’s Behavior Than their Parents- IELTS Writing Task 2

Nowadays television and the Internet have a greater influence on children’s behavior than their parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Paraphrase the topic with the use of synonyms. Create a base understanding for the reader, something to expand on in the essay.

Sentence 3 – State that the essay will understand how a parent’s influence on the child’s behaviour is greater than that of the internet.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Mention how a parent influences a child. Talk about how a child mirrors his parents and spends their entire time with them. Mention relevant examples if necessary.

Paragraph 2 – Talk about what all a child learns from his parents. Also, emphasise that a parent controls what his child is exposed to, including the internet and television.

Paragraph 3 – Acknowledge the emergence of the influence of the internet and television on a child’s behaviour, but also emphasise on the fact that it does not come near to that of a parent.

Conclusion

Restate your views.

Sample Essay

There are contrasting views as to who has a greater influence on a child’s behaviour in today’s time, whether it is the parent or the internet. As per my opinion, the internet’s influence is unparalleled, but it cannot be compared to the magnitude of that of a parent, and this essay will explain why.

A child imbibes right from when he/she can process basic cognition, mirrors the parent and sees the parents as a source of all gratification. They try to copy what the parents do. Further, not only do children spend every waking moment with their parents, but they also laugh with them, cry with them, and want them to caress them as they sleep. For instance, kids really love bedtime stories, partly because of a parent.

Also, children learn all the basic values, ideas, and thought patterns from their parents. Moreover, the exposure to media and the internet is under the parent’s control. So, what they watch and how much of it is under their scrutiny. The parent has substantial influence over what the children are exposed to. As a result, when someone argues that kids learn from the internet, it is the parent that has initially screened the content while deeming it appropriate for the child.

However, it is true that a kid imbibes information from the internet and related media. For example, the astronomical rise of kids’ YouTube channel “Cocomelon” during the COVID pandemic tells us how a new blend of learning is being evolved, one that greatly emphasizes the importance of information available online. But, it cannot be compared to a parent’s influence on a child from childhood till they come of age.

To conclude, the internet has become a vast reservoir of knowledge, even for children, but the parent has the greatest influence on his development and behaviour.

Vocabulary

• Unparalleled

Meaning – having no parallel or equal; exceptional
Example – Sachin Tendulkar’s influence on the game of cricket is unparalleled.

• Magnitude

Meaning – the great size or extent of something
Example – The magnitude of emergence of potholes during the monsoon is alarming.

• Imbibes

Meaning – absorb
Example – Rohan is imbibing new methods of learning from the internet.

• Cognition

Meaning – the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Example – The Down Syndrome also affects some aspects of cognition in children.

• Gratification

Meaning – pleasure, especially when gained from the satisfaction of a desire
Example – Delaying gratification is a key to success.

• Caress

Meaning – touch or stroke gently or lovingly.
Example – His mother caresses her hair gently during bed-time stories.

• Scrutiny

Meaning – critical observation or examination
Example – The definition of “mind” is still under professional scrutiny.

• Astronomical

Meaning – (of an amount) extremely large.
Example – The movie earned an astronomical amount of money, which tells me of its success.

• Come of age

Meaning – the age or occasion when one formally becomes an adult.
Example – Ravi is turning 18; he’s finally coming of age.

• Reservoir

Meaning – a vast supply of something.
Example – Every dam has a reservoir of water behind it.