IELTS General Writing Task 2 — Practice Draft

Modern lifestyles mean that many parents have little time for their children. Many children suffer because they do not get as much attention from their parents as children did in the past. Do you agree or disagree?

A One-Sided Opinion Essay
with a Funnel Approach Introduction

In this day and age, the frantic rhythm imposed by modern lifestyles has dramatically affected the time spent on parenting, in many cases. In the past, parents used to dedicate far more time to raising their children. Yet today, seemingly due to the rush of modern society, to bring up children has become a secondary priority. And yet, the underlying effects of this phenomenon on children are unclear.

Being a parent has never been an easy task. Even harder is to conciliate parenting with working life and household chores. And still, in the not too distant past, most parents seemed to spend more afternoons, weekends and holidays with their children. This scenario, however, has shifted in recent years.

These days, parents spend less time bringing up their children. From demanding careers to attending post-graduation courses, the reasons varying greatly. Parenting, thus, often ends up being delegated not only to schools but also to the mass media, to some extent at least. Not surprisingly, some evidence would suggest a strong link between parents' absence and some psychological issues in children such as depression, low self-esteem and the like.

Hence, that parenting plays a paramount role in children's formation seems evident. Yet, albeit I acknowledge that this issue is wide and far reaching and at times the consequences and effects unclear, I feel that parents should make an effort to engage more often in their children's lives. After all, parents are ultimately the proper role models for children, are they not?