abduction, or coming under the influence of negative peer pressure.

On the other hand, we have to ask whether this is a practical proposition. In a society where many families are dual-income, or where one parent?s role as breadwinnermeans he/she is away from the family for long periods, it is inevitable that children cannot spend all of their time with the family. Child-mindingand after-school childcareare often used in these cases, and if managed properly, these can be perfectly viablealternatives. Equally, it seems that children can in some cases learn a considerable amount from their peersin addition to adults, and allowing them to play without direct supervision may be a benefit.

To conclude, it appears that, while family time is essential for bondingand absorbing patterns of behaviour, there are definite advantages when children are outside the family too. This is provided that they are in a safe, well-behaved environment with peers who are themselves reasonably well brought-up.

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Explanation of the topic vocabulary and examples in Speaking

foster parents= people who have children living in their existing family for a fixed period, with the original parents? agreement

Being a foster parent is a difficult and tiring role, I can imagine.

guardians =people who are legally appointed to protect a child?s interests in the absence of

parents

In some countries, the government appoints a guardian if the parents die or experience severe difficulties.

role models =people that children look to and respect as good examples

In some countries, the royal family are good role models for youngsters, although in other cases this is not the case.

ground rules= basic rules governing the way people can behave in a situation

During the school holidays, my parents had strict ground rules for what we could do outside.

conventions= traditions or social norms that most people follow

It?s a convention for grandparents to live with their children in many countries.

codes of conduct =voluntary rules which people accept in a situation

The Boy Scouts have a firm code of conduct, which seems to be a positive influence.

bullying =when children attack and intimidate other children

Bullying could be reduced through better awareness and positive peer pressure in schools.

truancy= when a pupil leaves school without permission (verb = to play truant from school)

I must confess that at secondary school I sometimes played truant and went to the park with my friends.

delinquency= minor crime (often by young people)

Delinquency is a huge problem in urban areas, especially when policing is minimal.

abduction =the crime of taking or kidnapping people for a criminal reason

Child abduction is a great concern for many parents, especially in South America. peer pressure =the pressure from people in the same group to act in a certain way Many children start smoking due to peer pressure or bad role models.

dual-income =a family where both the father and mother work In many countries, the dual-income family is the norm nowadays.

breadwinner =the person who earns all or most of the money in a family In some families, the father is still the only breadwinner.

child-minding= caring informally (not in schools) for children when parents are busy or working

In some countries, the state subsidises the costs of child-minding.

after-school childcare= caring for children in a school setting, as above

Many families rely on after-school childcare because both parents work and commute.

viable= practical and possible to achieve

It is not really viable to expect all children to get maximum grades in exams.

peers= people in the same group or level as yourself

Many of my peers from school are now working for charities.

bonding= the development of close emotional connections between people Festivals and parties are an ideal time for families to bond.

patterns of behaviour =ways of acting and doing things (either positive or negative)

Unfortunately, some children absorb dangerous patterns of behaviour when watching movies or playing computer games.

well brought-up(to bring up children = to raise and educate them in your own moral, behavioural or religious conventions)

I was brought up in a very religious family, and I seem to have absorbed their values.

Date: 2016-06-13; view: 401