Pushing children too hard is a really big social problem that seems to be getting worse. Now we
have 6montholds in music classes and swimming classes. Parents fear that if other children are attending
these classes, they will be holding their own children back if they do not enroll, too.
The other extreme, simply takinga_laissezfaire_approachand letting children do-or refuse to
do-whatever they want, is not the answer either, of course.
Dr. Taylor emphasizes that parents need to push their children based on what is best for children, not
what is best for themselves. If children understand that an activity is in their best interests,then they will
accept it, he finds.
Dr. Taylor and other family experts remain pessimistic about the possibilities for widespread social
change. "The force of our popular culture, driven by money and superficial(表面上的)values, cannot
be resisted," he says. But change can take place at a "microlevel", in families and schools.
When change does occur, the rewards can benefit everyone in the family. One mother supporting this
new approach toward parenting mentions the advantages her family experienced after her children cut
back on activities. "The biggest thing is that since we have done this, we are rested," she says. "Not only
are our kids rested, because they're not in a ton of stuff, but my husband and I are rested, because we're
not driving them everywhere. We weren't living in the moment when we were always busy. We were
living by the schedule. The return on our investment of spending time together has been enormous."
1. One of the reasons why parents push children so hard is that they ________.
A. believe in early development in children
B. are too busy to take care of their children
C. don't want their children to lag behind
D. want to repeat what their parents did to them
2. The phrase "a laissezfaire approach" (in Paragraph 2)most probably refers to ________.
A. denying them what they need
B. controlling children in a flexible way
C. developing a keen interest in children
D. letting children do whatever they want
3. The best way to encourage children to work hard is ________.
A. to make them believe it's in their best interests
B. to consider the matter from parents' standpoint
C. to emphasize the importance of hard work from time to time
D. to make it interesting and enjoyable to them
4. What the author doesn't approve of in the essay is ________.
A. achieving a balance between pushing children too hard and leaving them alone
B. going from one extreme of pushing children too hard to the other of leaving them alone
C. involving children in activities that will probably contribute to their development
D. enrolling them in classes that are best for children
5. The new approach toward parenting mentioned in the passage most likely refers to ________.
A. relieving children's hard work and unnecessary activities
B. resisting the superficial values of pop culture
C. reducing more activities off their school schedule
D. spending more time with their children

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