Part 1
1. Is there too much academic pressure on kids these days? Should childhood be more carefree?
2. Did your parents coddle you when you were a child? Are more parents overprotective these days?
3. Did you grow up with strict parents or teachers? In your opinion, how important is discipline in a child's upbringing?
4. Tell me about an experience from your childhood that filled you with wonder. What made it so magical?
5. Did you grow apart from your childhood friends? What happened? Are you still in touch with any friends from childhood?
6. Were you inseparable from any friend at school? Have you lost touch with him or her?
7. Why do you think people usually look back at the time of their childhood with nostalgia?
8. How did your parents nurture your interests and talents when you were growing up? Can you give an example?
Part 2
9. What is most important to focus on when raising a well adjusted child - academic skills, athletic skills, emotional intelligence, or something else?
10. Did your parents or guardians supervise all your activities as a child? Do you think children have enough freedom to play outside without adults watching over them?
11. What are some of the reasons for children to throw tantrums? What should you do if a toddler throws a tantrum?
12. Do you think teenage girls are more mature than boys? What, if any, are the differences?
13. Are young adults too dependent on their parents these days? At what age should adults stop relying on their parents for support?
14. Can you think of anyone you knew as a child who turned out to be very different from what you expected? In what ways have they surprised you?
VOCABULARY
Topic Vocabulary:
carefree (adjective):
Definition: Feeling relaxed and happy, not worried or stressed.
Example: During summer vacation, the children enjoyed carefree days of playing and having fun.
coddle (verb):
Definition: To treat someone very gently and protectively, like a baby.
Example: Grandma tends to coddle her youngest granddaughter by giving her treats all the time.
dependent (adjective):
Definition: Needing someone or something else for support, care, or resources.
Example: He was already 21 but was still totally dependent on his parents.
discipline (noun):
Definition: Rules and punishments aimed at controlling behaviour.
Example: The discipline at the school was tough and students were severely punished for misbehaving.
fill with wonder (verb phrase):
Definition: Making someone feel amazed or fascinated by something.
Example: The fireworks display filled the spectators with wonder.
grow apart (phrasal verb):
Definition: To become less close or connected over time, especially in relationships or friendships.
Example: As they got older, Sarah and Tim grew apart and didn't talk as much.
inseparable (adjective):
Definition: Unable to be separated or parted.
Example: The two best friends were inseparable and did everything together.
look back (phrasal verb):
Definition: Thinking about things that happened in the past.
Example: She looked back on her childhood with nostalgia.
lose touch (phrasal verb):
Definition: To gradually or suddenly stop communicating or being in contact with someone.
Example: After graduating, they lost touch with each other and didn't communicate for years.
magical (adjective):
Definition: Something that seems very special and exciting.
Example: The fireworks on New Year's Eve looked magical in the night sky.
mature (adjective):
Definition: Acting like an adult and making responsible decisions.
Example: As she got older, she became more responsible and mature in her actions and decisions.
nostalgia (adjective):
Definition: A feeling of sadness or happiness when you think about things from the past.
Example: Going through old photo albums gave me a real sense of nostalgia.
nurture (verb):
Definition: Taking care of and helping something or someone grow and develop.
Example: Parents nurture their baby by providing love, care, and attention.
raise (verb):
Definition: To nurture, care for, and provide for the growth and development of a child.
Example: They worked hard to raise their kids to be kind and responsible.
supervise (verb):
Definition: Watching and making sure things are going well or being done correctly.
Example: The lifeguard supervises the pool to ensure everyone's safety.
throw a tantrum (verb phrase):
Definition: When a child gets very upset and behaves badly, like crying, screaming, or throwing things.
Example: The toddler threw a tantrum in the grocery store when his mother wouldn't buy him any candy.
toddler (noun [c]):
Definition: A young child who is learning to walk and talk.
Example: My grandparents looked after me and my sister when we were toddlers.
turn out (phrasal verb):
Definition: To result or develop in a particular way.
Example: She was a very naughty child, but she turned out to be a successful adult.
watch over (phrasal verb):
Definition: To protect and take care of someone, watching them to make sure they are safe.
Example: The babysitter was responsible for watching over the children while their parents were out.
well adjusted (adjective):
Definition: Being able to handle different situations and get along well with others.
Example: He was well adjusted and easily adapted to new situations and people.
Exercise 1: Matching Exercise
Match the word or phrase with its corresponding definition below.
1. carefree
2. dependent
3. inseparable
4. lose touch
5. magical
6. mature
7. nurture
8. supervise
9. well adjusted
a. Watching and making sure things are going well or being done correctly.
b. To gradually or suddenly stop communicating or being in contact with someone.
c. Acting like an adult and making responsible decisions.
d. Taking care of and helping something or someone grow and develop.
e. Being able to handle different situations and get along well with others.
f. Needing someone or something else for support, care, or resources.
g. Feeling relaxed and happy, not worried or stressed.
h. Unable to be separated or parted.
i. Something that seems very special and exciting.
Exercise 2: Fill the Gaps
Fill the gaps with an appropriate form of the words from the list provided below.
I was 1__________ on a farm in the countryside. Life was quite tough and my brothers and I were expected to help our parents on the farm before and after school every day. 2__________ was very strict in our household and on occasion my brothers and I were beaten by my father for misbehaving. Even so, I 3__________ on those years with 4__________. I loved the fresh countryside air, and the outdoor lifestyle on the farm, and even though I certainly couldn’t say that my parents 5__________ us, they were always 6__________ us, and did their best to make sure we had the best start in life possible.
coddle
watch over
raise
look back
nostalgia
discipline
Exercise 3: Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
Choose whether A or B best completes the stem sentence.
1. The children were filled with wonder;
A the circus performance was incredible.
B they didn’t know how to answer the question.
2. As they got older they grew apart;
A by the time they were adults one was much taller than the other.
B they developed different interests and stopped spending time together.
3. When I look back on my school
A I am happy as I enjoyed being a pupil.
B I can see the old classrooms and the sports hall.
4. I lost touch with my best friend from school;
A I went to a new school and made new friends.
B I couldn’t find her anywhere.
5. He threw a tantrum in the supermarket;
A the products fell all over the floor.
B his mother refused to buy him some sweets.
6. She turned out to be a very successful lawyer;
A she had a very good memory for facts.
B she was fired for insulting a client.
7. His parents asked him to watch over his little brother;
A they went out to meet some friends for the evening.
B he had to pick him up from school at exactly 4.30pm.
Vocabulary Answer Key:
Exercise 1: 1g, 2f, 3h, 4b, 5i, 6c, 7d, 8a, 9e
Exercise 2: 1. raised, 2. Discipline, 3. look back, 4. nostalgia, 5. coddled, 6. watching over
Exercise 3: 1A, 2B, 3A, 4A, 5B, 6A, 7A
Advanced Discussion Questions
11. Childhood
SPEAKING
