In Many Countries Children are Engaged In Some Kind of Paid Work – IELTS Writing Task 2

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong while others consider it as valuable work experience. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

OR

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and taking responsibility. What are your opinions on this issue?

Outline

Essay Type

Discussion Essay

Introduction

Sentences 1, 2 & 3: Introduce the topic.

Sentence 4 – Both views will be discussed.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1- Benefit of working from a young age

Paragraph 2 – How working from a young age can be harmful?

Conclusion

Sum up and state the final opinion.

Sample Essay

Discussions related to child welfare are always dubious as it takes into account both short-term and long-term factors. In many countries, parents urge their children to participate in paid work. While many people feel that it has a menacing effect, a large number opine that such activity will develop the personality of the youngsters. In this essay, both views will be discussed in order to decide which is beneficial.

Good work is always applauded by everyone in society, whether it is done by a child or an adult. Mostly, the responsibility to bring in money in a family falls on the adults. But it is not true in many countries or communities. They prepare their youth to search for paid jobs and fulfill certain duties. It is done mainly to develop independence and build confidence in the individual. For example, when a person is asked to tend to children younger than them or elderly people in return for cash, they learn to take care of others, cooperate with people, and maintain goodwill. In the process, they also gain experience and skills that come in handy in their professional life. Besides these two factors, working for money helps to ease the burden of the elders in a family. Children are able to save money for their future needs and help their parents financially.

Although working independently promotes positive development, a lot of things depend on the type of work that the child is involved in. For example, if a child is asked to babysit or handle writing tasks, it facilitates development. But, if he/she is made to work hard in factories, it can be detrimental to health. Even working in office conditions for long hours or being exploited by the employers physically and mentally can cause various kinds of health issues which may lead to a bleak future. Other than the working conditions, the bad influence of colleagues can divert young minds from their path. They may develop bad habits like smoking or dealing with drugs. Moreover, enjoying the work that they do may make them pay more attention to it and focus less on their studies. This may result in doing menial jobs in the future as they will lack the minimum educational qualification.

In the end, I would like to state that working from a young age is obviously propitious for the child. But parents should always pay attention to the type of work they choose, the kind of employers they work for and whether they are giving importance to their studies which is the foundation of their career. If it is not followed, these youngsters may acquire a bad experience instead of a good one.

Vocabulary

• Dubious

Meaning: probably not true or not completely true; doubtful
Eg: His actions were so dubious that the police took him to custody.

• Menacing

Meaning:  making you think that someone is going to do something bad
Eg: The weather is menacing and so they cancelled their plans.

• Applauded

Meaning: show approval or praise by clapping
Eg: The audience applauded his performance.

• Goodwill

Meaning: a friendly attitude in which you wish that good things happen to people
Eg: The organization believes in goodwill and works to help the needy.

• Ease

Meaning: the state of being comfortable
Eg: The caterpillar moved with ease on the dry leaves.

• Babysit

Meaning: look after a child or children while the parents are out
Eg: My cousin hates to babysit his brother.

• Detrimental

Meaning: causing harm or damage
Eg: Spicy food is detrimental to dogs.

• Bleak 

Meaning:  lacking reasons to feel happy or hopeful
Eg: After his parents died in the accident, the boy’s condition became bleak.

• Menial

Meaning: work that does not need any skills and is badly paid and often boring
Eg: Due to his negligence, his son was left to do menial work to support the family.

• Propitious 

Meaning:  full of promise; good, favorable
Eg: The CEO of my company is a propitious man.

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