Essay: Children should be trained to be independent thinkers

Some people say that the best way to raise children is to encourage them to be independent thinkers. Others disagree and say that children need to be taught discipline in order to become successful. Using specific examples discuss these two opinions. State which one you agree with and why.

It is very difficult to bring up children. Some parents are either too strict or too lenient. Some parents feel that the children should be allowed to think independently so that they grow up to be mature and intelligent. Some feel that without discipline children’s development will not be balanced and they cannot be successful in life.

The parents nowadays are educated and broad-minded. They are liberal with their children. They want their children to be independent and confident. They encourage their children to make their decisions and think independently. This makes the children self-reliant and emotionally stronger. Their self-esteem goes up. They become mature and less dependent on parents. They learn to express their ideas and opinions more freely.

Such parents want to be friendly and understanding. They want to be friends with the children so that they can discuss their problems, views and feelings. They don’t want to suppress the personality of their children by being too strict. They don’t want to be dictators. They don’t want their children to be timid and shy or have any inhibitions and complexes.

Some parents on the other hand feel that it is necessary to have some amount of discipline at home otherwise the children will get out of control. The children will be more mature and responsible. They will lack self-control. They will become undisciplined and selfish. They will be self-centred and not adjusting. They can become stubborn and strong headed. They will not have any consideration for others. Children will have a better knowledge of what is good for them and what is not.

In my opinion discipline helps children to acquire qualities like love, affection, sharing, understanding, and cooperation, which helps them to adjust to any situation in life. Discipline in homes helps to build up a healthy relationship between children and parents.