Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

Parents are the best teachers.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

In our contemporary society, raising children is a responsibility with complexity and much public discussion, especially on the subject of parental education. How and when to teach children at different ages has often been written about by education experts. In my opinion, parents are crucial at forming a positive environment for the children, but it doesn’t make parents the best teachers.

First, parents may be too close to their children emotionally. Sometimes they can only see their children though the eyes of a protector. For example, they may limit a child’s freedom in the name of safety. A teacher might see a trip to a big city as a valuable new experience. However, it might seem too dangerous to a parent.

Second, parents may expect their children’s interests to be similar to their own. They can’t seem to separate from their children in their mind. If they love science, they may try to force their child to love science too. But what if their child’s true passion is art, or writing, or car repair?

Parents are usually eager to pass on their value to their children. When children are young, they believe that their parents are always right. But when they get older, they realize there are other views. Sometimes parents, especially older ones, can’t keep up with rapid social or technology changes. A student who does his homework online and chats with his friends on social networks may find that his/her parents don’t really understand or value the digital revolution. Sometimes kids have to find their own ways to what they believe in.

The most important thing to realize is that we all have many teachers in our lives. Parents may be important influences at the early stages of our lives, but books, media and our peers also shape our identity and way of thinking. Parents should focus on creating a fostering environment for children and allow them a certain amount of freedom to learn things on their own. 

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