IELTS Essay: Pressure on Children

Sample Answer

Some feel that children now have more responsibilities related to education, society, and economics. In my opinion, the causes all concern technology and the best counter-measures must be enacted in concert by governments and parents.

In my opinion, the primary catalyst for these added pressures is technology. In terms of education, students are now expected to learn about computers in school. By itself, this contributes little pressure; however, the additional time in front of a screen, coupled with the time spent in their free time online takes a heavy toll on mental health. Similarly, social demands related to the online world are growing. Most children must at some age begin to keep in touch with friends through various messaging applications and then learn the dynamics of social media, which can also increase anxiety. Finally, while online most children will be targeted by advertisements. This exploitation means that even the commercial world adds psychological pressure to the minds of the young.

The best solutions to these problems come from authority figures. Firstly, governments can establish stringent regulations. A good example of this would be a law recently passed in mainland China that prohibits gaming companies from allowing children to play more than 3 hours online per week. Similar restrictions about screen time in schools and laws governing advertising would also help alleviate the novel burdens technology has added to children’s lives. Additionally, parents can serve as a final filter and monitor their children closely. Instead of allowing their children to have a smartphone from a young age, they can instill a love of reading, playing outside, and socializing in the complete absence of technology in the hopes of fostering lifelong habits.

In conclusion, despite the risks technology poses to mental health for children, there are simple steps that governments and parents can take. However, this requires that parents recognize these dangers as inherently harmful to their children’s development.