Some people think that children should obey rules or do what their parents and teachers want them to do. Other people think that children controlled too much cannot deal with problems themselves in adulthood. Discuss both views and state your own opinion.

Children are expected to obey different rules either at home or at school. Strict discipline is sometimes important, but I would argue that it would have an adverse impact on children’s problem-solving abilities. Some people are strong advocates of imposing rules because rules can hold children accountable for their behaviour and help them develop good behaviour patterns from a young age. Unlike adults, children are normally not aware of the consequences of bad behaviour, and setting rules can help them realise how to behave in a socially acceptable way.

For example

, they can learn how to greet others, make polite requests and show table manners, if they are required by adults to do so.

In addition

, some rules can

also

forbid inappropriate behaviours,

such

as bullying, using profanity, cheating in exams and interrupting teachers during a lesson. Opponents,

however

, argue that the rules can limit the development of problem-solving skills, if those parents who establish these strict rules give priority to children’s obedience. Children will rely heavily on rules and may not be able to solve problems independently.

For instance

, some rules may dictate what children should do every day, but when they enter the workforce, they may not know how to manage time without the instructions of their parents and cope with the demands of work themselves. They are unlikely to achieve success in their careers. In my view, strict rules can stifle children’s creativity and they are not able to solve problems in different ways. They dare not put their ideas into practice, since they are afraid of being punished if they disobey the rules. Some teachers,

for example

, require students to abide by strict essay writing rules, and the consequence is that children will not know the outcome of expressing their ideas in other ways. Some problems in the real world are complex and they cannot be tackled without using imagination.