Some people say that parents have the most important role in a child’s development. However, others argue that other things like television or friends have the most significant influence. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
ESSAY #302 FROM OUR BOOK
Some individuals are of the opinion that parents have the most significant role in a child’s development, whereas others opine that friends and other environmental factors such as TV have a more important role. This essay shall discuss both perspectives. I believe that all the factors like parents, peers and TV, are inextricably linked and it is not possible to say which factor has more role.
There are reasons why some people hold the opinion that parents have the most critical role in a child’s development. Firstly, parents have direct interaction with the children. They have their greatest effect on intellectual development and character traits of their children. They also play a very important role in the socializing process of the child. Right from the bedtime stories to the behavioural habits, parents play a very important role in making a child a responsible citizen. That is why it is believed by some that parents have the strongest role in a child’s development.
On the other hand, those who say that friends and TV have more vital role on the development of children, give their reasons as follows. Firstly, children can relate better to their friends as they are of the same age group. They find comfort in these friendships when things get tough such as losing a pet or facing family problems. Television is also one of the most prevalent media influences in children’s lives. How much impact TV has on children depends on how much they watch, what they watch and with whom they watch.
In my opinion, we cannot generalize as to what has more significance. In the early years family generally has more impact but in adolescence, peers and TV may impact more. It has also been seen that the power of the peer group becomes more important when the family relationships are not close or supportive. For example, if the parents work extra jobs and are largely unavailable, their children may turn to their peer group for emotional support.
To sum up, behaviour is affected by a complex interaction of many different factors such as parents, peers and environment. It is difficult to generalize which factor plays the most significant role.
