Basic Writing, Consider the following statement. It is important for children to be required to help with household work as soon as they are old enough to know how to help their parents with the tasks that must be done around the house. Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Writing Topic 

Consider the following statement. It is important for children to be required to help with household work as soon as they are old enough to know how to help their parents with the tasks that must be done around the house. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

以下の発言を考えてください。子供が親の家でしなくてはならない仕事の手伝い方が分かる年になったらすぐに手伝いをするよう要求されることは大切だ。この考えに賛成ですか反対ですか。具体的な理由や例を入れて答を支持してください。

☆Let’s Think 考えてみよう

Note the condition at the end of the sentence, “as soon as they are old enough to know how to help their parents with the tasks that must be done around the house”. This excludes the case in which the assigned household work is so hard that it stunts the growth of the child.

文末の条件「家でしなくてはならない仕事の手伝い方が分かる年になったらすぐに」に注目しなさい。これにより割り当てられた仕事があまりにもきついので子供の成長を阻害するという場合は除かれる。

☆Hints for Points 要点のヒント

1.    Assigning chores is a part of education.

手伝いの割り当ては教育の一環だ。

2.    Tasks in chores are basic skills in everyday life.

手伝いの仕事は日常の基本的な技術だ。

3.    By doing chores, children can acquire patience, a sense of independence, a sense of responsibility, and self-esteem.

手伝いをすることによって忍耐力や自立心、責任感、自尊心を獲得できる。

4.    Trying to do chores well can train children’s body and brain.

手伝いをうまくやろうとすることにより体と脳が鍛えられる。

5.    Chores introduce children to seasonal traditional events and teach them their culture.

手伝いは子供に季節の伝統行事を導入し文化を教える。

6.    Through helping with parents, children can effectively communicate with them.

親の手伝いをすることを通して子供は効果的に意思疎通を行うことができる。

7.    Children will come to appreciate work done by parents and gain respect for labor in general if they help their parents with their work.

親の仕事を手伝うと、子供は親のする仕事に感謝し、一般的な労働への敬意を得る。

☆Sample Essay Structure 構成例

【Introduction = Outline】I agree with the statement that it is important for children to be required to help with household work as soon as they are old enough to know how to help their parents with the tasks that must be done around the house because doing chores helps children’s development in many aspects.

【Reason 1】Assigning children chores commensurate with their abilities is quite beneficial in helping children become independent.

【Reason 2】Chores are good for the emotional development of children.

【Reason 3】Doing chores will also help physical and intellectual development.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】Assigning children chores will help their emotional, mental, and physical development, as well as giving them basic skills of daily life unless it interferes with other crucial activities for growth.

【主張＝概略】手伝いは多くの点で子供の成長を助けるので、子供が家でしなくてはならない仕事の手伝い方が分かる年になったらすぐに手伝いをするよう要求されることは大切だという発言に私は賛成だ。

【理由１】能力に釣り合った手伝いを子供に割り当てるのは自立に大いに役立つ。

【理由２】手伝いは情緒の発達に良い。

【理由３】体と頭の発達も助ける。

【結論＝まとめ】成長に必須の活動を妨げない限り、子供に手伝いをさせるのは日常生活の基本的な技術を与えるだけでなく、情緒や精神、身体の発達を助ける。

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction = Outline】

【Point 1】                                                                                                                          e.g.

【Point 2】                                                                                                                          e.g.

【Point 3】                                                                                                                          e.g.

【Conclusion = Wrap-up】

Useful Expressions 役に立つ表現:

1)～という発言に賛成/反対だ。I agree/disagree with the statement that ~.

2) 理由は以下の通り。The reasons are as follows./～for the following reasons.

☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions

アイディアと表現のためのエッセイ

Unfortunately, because of poverty or negligence, many children on this planet are still forced to help with household work at the expense of other important activities they need to go through for their development such as playing and studying. Purpose of having children do chores should be part of their education. As long as they are not exploited, it is good for children to help with household chores as soon as they are old enough to do them because doing chores helps children’s development in many aspects.

残念ながら貧困や怠慢のために地球上の多くの子供が依然として遊びや勉強のような発達のために経験する必要のある重要な活動を犠牲にして家事を手伝わされている。子供に手伝いをさせる目的は教育の一環であるべきだ。搾取されない限り、手伝いは多くの点で子供の成長を助けるので、子供が家でしなくてはならない仕事の手伝い方が分かる年になったらすぐに手伝いをするよう要求されることは大切だという発言に私は賛成だ。

Assigning chores commensurate with their abilities is quite beneficial in helping children become independent. They can learn basic skills to lead a daily life such as making beds, cleaning, and cooking. There is no denying that having these skills will make their lives much easier in the future than not having them. It is parents’ responsibility to teach their children these skills so that they can function well in society.

能力に釣り合った手伝いを子供に割り当てるのは自立に大いに役立つ。ベッドメイキングや掃除、料理の様な日常生活をする基本的な技術を学ぶことができる。これらの技術がないよりあるほうが将来生活がずっと楽になることは否定できない。子供が社会できちんと機能できるようにするためにこれらの技術を教えるのは親の責任だ。

Chores are good for the emotional development of children. Acquiring patience, sense of independence, sense of responsibility, and sense of bond with others are just a few of the good emotional effects doing chores has on them. Chores will give children good work ethic and natural joy of doing tasks by using their body and mind. By being appreciated and praised for doing a certain task, for example, a child will acquire some or all of these aspects of a good personality. As long as it does not make children feel taken advantage of, doing chores will help children’s emotional development.

手伝いは情緒の発達に良い。忍耐や自立心、責任感、他者とつながっている感覚は手伝いが子供に与える情緒面の良い影響のほんの数例だ。手伝いは子供に良い労働倫理と体と頭を使って仕事をすることの自然な喜びを与える。例えばある仕事をして感謝され褒められることによって子供はこれらの良い人格のいくつか又は全ての面を獲得する。子供が利用されていると感じない限り手伝いは子供の情緒的発達を助ける。

Doing chores will also help physical and intellectual development. Households involve various small tasks which require various physical and intellectual efforts. Thinking of better ways and carrying them out can develop children’s body and brain. Dish washing, for example, can be done quickly and economically if planned well and done neatly. Of course playing and studying is necessary for their education, but then chores appropriate for the age and assigned for a fraction of their leisure time are probably the best tools for their education, for they are part of reality, which should be the starting point of good education.

体と頭の発達も助ける。家事は体と頭の努力を要する様々な小さな仕事を含む。よりうまい方法を考えて実行することにより体と脳が発達する。例えば皿洗いはよく計画してきちんと行うと素早く経済的にできる。もちろん遊びと勉強は教育に必要だが、それなら年齢にふさわしく暇な時の一部で課される手伝いはおそらく教育のための最善の道具だろう。というのは手伝いは現実の一部であるからであり、現実は良い教育の出発点であるべきだからだ。

Assigning children chores will help their emotional, mental, and physical development, as well as giving them basic skills of daily life unless it interferes with other crucial activities for growth. Therefore, children should be told to help with household chores when they are ready, or spare not only the rod but also the chore and spoil the child.

成長に必須の活動を妨げない限り、子供に手伝いをさせるのは日常生活の基本的な技術を与えるだけでなく、情緒や精神、身体の発達を助ける。従って、できるようになったら子供は家事を手伝うように言われるべきだ。言い換えればかわいい子には旅だけでなく手伝いもさせよである。