People have different views as to how children should spend their free time. While some people think that children should engage in planned tasks, others believe they should be free to pursue their own interests during free time. Even though there are obvious advantages of organized tasks, such as encouraging creativity and independence, I believe that organized activities teach important skills and build useful habits.
Proponents of children spending their time as they wish cite various reasons to support their stance. Young people’s interests have been widely recognized for their developing skills, a feature that sets them apart from planned activities. In contrast to structured activities, which usually lead to stress and pressure, children spend their time as they wish, and they feel freedom from rigid schedules. Given these advantages, it seems reasonable for people to encourage creativity and imagination, promote emotional independence, and spontaneous social interaction. From a creativity perspective, with the ever-increasing advancement of kindergarten, especially in large cities, youth play games with friends, such as art activities, role-playing, and music. By communicating with friends, children not only spend their time marvelously but also increase their creativity and independence.
Despite these arguments, in my opinion, children spending time on their interests can be temporary. Structured tasks are known for cultivating self-discipline, which distinguishes them from spend time how they want. In contrast to youth’s free time interests, which lead to missed educational opportunities, risk of unproductive behaviour, and difficulty in goal-setting, planned activities are more holistic in development. In light of cultivating self-discipline, it is not surprising to see more people, especially those facing future success, because from childhood, people grow with instilled perseverance. In conclusion, from my perspective, when youth plan their tasks, they become ready for the challenge of life. Children should be encouraged to plan tasks, and their discipline helps develop all skills.