It is true that parents shoulder a huge responsibility and that raising children is by no means an easy task. However, I completely disagree with the idea that we should therefore force all mothers and fathers to attend parenting courses.
In my opinion, the idea that all future parents should take a parenthood preparation course is completely impractical. Many prospective parents have jobs and busy schedules, and they may not be willing or able to attend regular parenting classes. This raises the question of whether those who missed the classes, or perhaps refused to attend, would be punished. I believe that it would be wrong to do this, and it would therefore be impossible to enforce the idea of compulsory training for parents. Besides, even if parents could be forced to attend, I doubt that people would agree on what good parenting entails, and so it would be difficult to create a parenting course to suit everyone.
As well as being impractical, I would argue that training courses for parents are unnecessary. Mothers and fathers have been raising children without any formal help or official interference for thousands of years. Parenting skills are learnt from family members, friends, neighbours and the surrounding culture. Perhaps more importantly, adults learn to be good parents by instinct, by trial and error, and by getting to know their own children; for example, a good parent will try different strategies when faced with a badly-behaved child, and will gradually develop an understanding of what works to correct the behaviour. None of this requires the intervention of a taught course.
In conclusion, while compulsory parenting lessons might seem like a good idea, I believe that such a scheme would be unworkable and largely pointless.
It is true that
parents
shoulder a huge responsibility and that raising children is by no means an easy task.
However
, I completely disagree with the
idea
that we should
therefore
force all mothers and fathers to
attend
parenting
courses.
In my opinion, the
idea
that all future
parents
should take a parenthood preparation course is completely impractical.
Many
prospective
parents
have jobs and busy schedules, and they may not be willing or able to
attend
regular
parenting
classes. This raises
the question of whether
those who missed the classes, or perhaps refused to
attend
, would
be punished
. I believe that it would be
wrong
to do this, and it would
therefore
be impossible to enforce the
idea
of compulsory training for
parents
.
Besides
, even if
parents
could
be forced
to
attend
, I doubt that
people
would
agree
on what
good
parenting
entails, and
so
it would be difficult to create a
parenting
course to suit everyone.
As well
as being impractical, I would argue that training courses for
parents
are unnecessary. Mothers and fathers have been raising children without any formal
help
or official interference for thousands of years.
Parenting
skills
are
learnt
from family members, friends,
neighbours
and the surrounding culture. Perhaps more
importantly
, adults learn to be
good
parents
by instinct, by trial and error, and by getting to know their
own
children;
for example
, a
good
parent
will try
different
strategies when faced with a
badly
-behaved child, and will
gradually
develop an understanding of what works to correct the
behaviour
. None of this requires the intervention of a taught course.
In conclusion
, while compulsory
parenting
lessons might seem like a
good
idea
, I believe that such a scheme would be unworkable and
largely
pointless.