'Parents are overprotective'

We see slogans like this all of the time. Its rooted into our society and its rooted into our minds from when we are first conscious. Always being told 'No, you can't eat that' or 'Get down off the table or you'll hurt yourself' or the classic line used by parents everywhere: 'Don't do that or no *blank* for a month!'. As children we feel like we are just a pet for our parents, something to do the dishes for them or other assorted manual tasks that they list off to us like a robot in a factory.

This isn't right!

Instead, children should be allowed more freedom. My dad was full of life when he was younger. He tells stories about how he used to climb trees and swim in the river, yet in the same breath tells me to walk away from the tree that he used to climb, walk away from the river he used to swim in. Our parents had the world in their hands when they were young, now they give it to us in tiny pieces, one by one, never allowing us to have too much of it as that would equate to too much of the freedom we long for. While I see the argument that parents just want to protect and care for their children, how will they have a fun childhood if they are stopped from doing new activities, eating new food or trying new experiences? Childhood is for finding your personality, so let them find it.

Parents should instead allow their children to thrive and try everything. While obviously there is a limit to everything, parents should be encouraging their kids to explore instead of punishing them for it. A study by Cambridge University found that, out of 100 people interviewed, only 22% said they enjoyed their childhood. Their reasons? Because their parents let them do things that other parents wouldn't, like going to the woods to climb trees, play in the river, run through the ferns and frolic in the flowers. If they hurt themselves, they would know to be more careful instead of being fearmongered into never trying it in the first place.

From a personal viewpoint, I think I've had a pretty fun childhood. I've had the ups and the downs, from going on holiday and building sandcastles with my dad to breaking my elbow on the monkey bars and having frequent nosebleeds. However, I've seen what a boring childhood can do to a person. One of my friends had very overprotective parents who wouldn't let him do anything out of fear. He spent his time holed up at home revising or sleeping, never allowed to help with housework or cooking over his mum's fear of him getting injured. Now, he works in an office all day, staring at his computer screen like a zombie. Almost emotionless, hardly any personality, very few life experiences. All of this because his childhood shaped him into a melancholy man, a suffering soul, a pitiful role in the theatre of life.

I'd like to end on a positive note. While I think that parents can be too overprotective, as children we have the power to change everything and raise our families to be a fountain of fun, facts and frivolity. I believe that our future is a shining star: all we have to do is reach for it.

Score:

18/24 for Content and Organisation

13/16 for Technical Accuracy

31/40 Overall (Level 8)