Academic Discussion and Writing Should children be forced to do housework?

Question: Should children be forced to do housework? 

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        What chores have you done? How have they affected you?

2.        What happens when children are assigned to do a certain household work when they are not old enough to know how to do it?

3.        Are there any cases in which children should not do chores? For example, in poor countries, children do chores like getting water from a far-away place without going to school. Their parents cannot help doing it. If parents in a high-income country made their child do chores so that they can rest or play, is it acceptable?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Agree

1.      Chores teach children skills necessary for independence.

2.      Chores encourage children to use their body and brain.

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

4.     Housework teaches children seasonal traditional events and other culture.

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

6.     Children will come to appreciate work done by parents and gain respect for labor in general.

7.     Chores can be a part of education.

 

Disagree

1.     Forcing children to do anything will adversely affect their development.

2.     Children must play, study, and interact with their family instead of doing chores.

3.     Doing a simple task for hours disrupts their health.

 

☆Sample Essay Structure

A        【Thesis】It is important for children to be required to help with household work commensurate with their abilities, because doing chores helps children’s development in many aspects unless it interferes with other crucial activities for growth and brace them for independence.

【Supporting Details】Assigning children chores not only helps their emotional, mental, and physical development but also give them basic skills of daily life, which helps them become independent. They can learn basic domestic duties such as making beds, cleaning, washing, and cooking. There is no denying that having these skills will make their lives easier in the future than not having them.

【Counterargument-treatment】Upbringing often involves compulsion, and the negative effect can be minimized or avoided by parents’ love and ingenuity such as introducing the tasks as part of play or family event. After all, disciplining is teaching patience and nurture tenacity, which is indispensable in life.

【Conclusion】 It is parents’ responsibility to make children do housework so that they can function well in society when they grow up. (165 words)

 

B        【Thesis】I am concerned about exploitation and abuse in disguise of discipline.

【Supporting Details】Unfortunately, many children on are still forced to help with housework at the expense of other essential activities they need to go through for their development and even exposed to physical damage. This is not just because of poverty but because of ignorance or negligence. Parents are human beings and imperfect and thus can take advantage of their children for their convenience or pleasure. My mother made me wax the whole floor of my father’s office with bear hands alone at least twice when I was around eight. It took hours for me to finish the task, and I still remember the chemical smell of the wax. I wonder how much chemical my hands and respiratory organs absorbed and how it affected my physical condition. Also, while I was doing the task, my mother spent time with my little sister. I remember feeling isolated.

【Counterargument-treatment】Even though the task may have instilled me with patience and sense of responsibility, the total teaching effect of that chore is questionable. My mother was not a bad person. In fact, she was respected and loved by her family and friends, which means that most children of average parents are vulnerable to parental exploitation and abuse.

【Conclusion】Thus, as Chris says, assignment of chores must be done only according to the children’s natural motivation. (229 words)

 

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

                                               DRAFT