IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Children often behave adamantly and don’t listen to what their parents say. It is understandable if infants behave this way, given that they do not understand the difference between right and wrong. However, once kids are able to grasp things, it is on parents to discipline them properly. I would like to talk about a situation when my neighbour’s kids behaved poorly at a community event.

I live in an apartment complex where some friends and I recently organised a go-green event to promote an eco-friendly lifestyle. We distributed plants to everyone and asked them to plant them in a park nearby. So, we visited the park one evening and started planting. During the event, parents were advised to watch their children during the event. Despite announcing multiple times to be careful with the plants, my neighbour’s children plucked out some of the plants sowed. Not only were they uprooting the plants, but they also started encouraging other kids to do the same. Many people attending the event tried to put up with their tantrums but soon grew impatient. 

Consequently, I went up to their parents and asked them to stop the kids from disturbing the event. They were apologetic for their behaviour and tried to mind them. Reluctantly, they obliged and stayed silent for the rest of the evening. 

Initially, I was furious with them but I did not say anything harsh as kids can be difficult at times. Sure, they were arrogant but shouting at them would have made things worse. The situation dialled down after their parents explained why it was a bad thing to do. Moreover, the children apologised for causing a ruckus at the event and we all felt happy to see them accept their mistake.

 

Vocabulary:

1. Adamantly – stubbornly
2. Uproot – pull out of the ground
3. Reluctantly – in an unwilling way
4. Furious – extremely angry
5. Dial down – lessen the intensity

---

Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers

---

1. What bad behaviour do children usually have?

Children generally throw tantrums by shouting loudly, tossing things around and yelling at their parents when they don’t get what they want. This kind of behaviour is bad because it creates a ruckus when in public. Besides, some kids steal stationery like pencils and erasers in school and cause chaos in class.

2. How should parents stop their children from behaving badly in public?

We often see kids behaving poorly in public but their parents ignore it stating it’s just a tantrum. However, parents should teach their children right from wrong and keep them disciplined right from a young age. Disciplining kids at home and explaining them why something is a bad thing to do will help them adopt good manners.

3. Are parents nowadays stricter than in the past?

I believe it is the other way around now. Nowadays, parents are much more lenient than in the past and give freedom to their kids. It is because this way, children don’t lie about what they do and there is a chance for them to talk to their parents about their issues more openly.

4. Whose influence on children is greater? Parents or their friends?

In my view, parents and friends, both influence children in different ways. Kids spend most of their time with their parents; so, parents influence their kids the most from a young age. However, there is substantial effect on children when they start making friends and spend a considerable amount of time with them in school.