The debate about which periods of a child’s life has the most impact on their future life is a long-standing one. Some people believe that the experiences before school are the most basic to build their future, others think that teenage years are more influential. This essay will discuss both views before concluding that the teenage years are more critical.
On the one hand, those who support the importance of early childhood point to rapid brain development during the first few years. During this time, a child’s brain is highly plastic and forms millions of neural connections every second. These connections are the basis for all future learning, and experiences in this period help to shape cognitive skills, language, and emotional regulation. For instance, a child who is read to and spoken with regularly from infancy is likely to develop richer vocabulary than a child who is not.
On the other hand, other people argue that teenage periods are more critical because it is the time when they form their identities and make independent decisions. Adolescence is the time for socialising and emotional change, and there is stronger influence from peers. Experiences during this stage, such as academic successes and failures, and doing part-time jobs can significantly shape teenagers’ self-esteem, work ethic, and career. For example, a teenager who performs great in a subject and receives encouragement from a teacher may decide to pursue a career in a related sphere, which can alter their life path. These experiences can have a more visible effect on their future opportunities and completely shape their identities.
In my view, although early childhood experiences are undeniably important for shaping cognitive skills by creating neural pathways in the brain. Social network, independent decisions, and academic excellence in teenage years determine who they will become in the future.
In conclusion, pre-school and teenage experiences are influential. However, school years are more crucial, because it provides the starting point of their development as a person and as an employee.