Today‘s children are living under more pressure from society than children in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Mention that this topic has both aspects to discuss using synonyms to create a basic understanding.

Sentence 3 – Mention your stand on the topic.

Body paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Talk about how today’s children live under more pressure from society than children in the past.

Paragraph 2 – Mention how social media also plays a part in adding pressure to the mind of today’s children.

Paragraph 3 – Acknowledge the flip side of the argument.

Conclusion

Restate your views.

Sample Essay

In today’s fast-paced world, there is tremendous pressure on children from their parents, peers and society in general. Various studies have observed an increase in the anxiety level among children lately. So, it would not be wrong to agree that this has led to kids being under extreme pressure to match these high expectations.

The first and foremost pressure comes from their parents, who are struggling to raise successful kids. They enroll them in expensive private schools and extracurricular classes by going above and beyond their spending power. As a result, the parents always pressurize the child to outdo his peers and friends in class. This leads to kids being anxious about performing well in school and not settling for anything below an ‘A’. Secondly, there is usually pressure from all directions like friends, school, extracurricular activities and the impending future and career choices. Sometimes, youngsters also set very high benchmarks for themselves, leading to apprehension and depression.

And last but not least is the big one which is social media. In the world around, success is being equated with fame, money and social standing. Besides, celebrity culture has also developed where popularity takes precedence over genuineness. Due to this, children seek validation online and put more effort into gaining likes and followers than actually living a happy and whole life.

Nevertheless, society is dynamic and keeps on changing. Compared to the bygone years, today’s children have more toys, electronic gadgets, the opportunity to learn and express their views efficiently and effectively. Parents understand the building pressure and stress over their ward’s minds, so they help them choose their own hobbies to find their talent, which wasn’t very common in the past.

In conclusion, I would like to say that now is the time for parents to teach their young ones that success is not measured by money, fame or popularity; instead, it is about living one’s life with honesty and doing what one loves. It is about spending time with family and friends, following one’s passion, and just being happy about the person one becomes on this journey.

Vocabulary

• Tremendous

Meaning – very great in amount, scale, or intensity.
Example – The building makes a tremendous visual impact in the neighbourhood.

• Peers

Meaning – a person of the same age, status, or ability as another specified person.
Example – Ryan doesn’t spend enough time with his peers in his workplace.

• Anxiety

Meaning – strong desire or concern to do something or for something to happen.
Example – The teacher helped Michael calm down when he was overcome by anxiety.

• Extracurricular

Meaning – (of an activity at a school or college) pursued in addition to the normal course of study.
Example – It is imperative for every child to participate in extracurricular activities at school.

• Impending

Meaning – (of an event regarded as threatening or significant) about to happen; forthcoming.
Example – It seemed that nothing could prevent the impending disaster.

• Benchmarks

Meaning – a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared.
Example – Apple has always had a tendency to hype up its statements about the speed of its products by setting high benchmarks and just the right brands to compare them to.

• Validation

Meaning – the action of checking or proving the validity or accuracy of something.
Example – The validation process ensures that the data conforms to acceptable formats.

• Precedence

Meaning – the condition of being considered more important than someone or something else; priority in importance, order, or rank.
Example – The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.

• Hobbies

Meaning – the condition of being considered more important than someone or something else; priority in importance, order, or rank.
Example – Susan’s hobbies include reading, cooking, and drama.

• Fame

Meaning – the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements.
Example – Fame usually comes to those who think outside the box.