In a world dominated by intense competition and social expectations, it has become increasingly common for parents to put substantial pressure on their children to succeed, particularly in highly industrialized and academically driven countries. I completely agree with this notion for several reasons.
Parents’ tendency to exert immense pressure on their offspring can be attributed to various factors. With the soaring living expenses and high taxes, along with scarce job opportunities and stagnant wages, many individuals now find it difficult to make ends meet, save up for future emergencies, and invest in income-generating assets, which has compromised their overall financial freedom and stability. Given these circumstances, it comes as no surprise that many parents are imposing high expectations on their children. A good case in point is my home country of Uzbekistan, where parental pressure has become the norm owing to economic challenges.
Another notable reason why parents exert significant pressure is the competitive nature of the modern world. With globalization and technological revolution, the job market has become fiercely competitive, prompting parents to believe that exceptional achievements are essential for their children’s future stability. As a consequence of such perceptions, many children are often enrolled in numerous extracurricular activities, private tutoring, and advanced academic programs, namely competitive math training, foreign language classes, and music or sports lessons. Good examples are South Korea, China, and India, where educational systems emphasize high academic performance, and parents commonly push their children to excel in rigorous after-school programs.
In conclusion, I firmly believe that the majority of parents today force their children to strive for excellence under pressure thanks to the aforementioned factors like economic hardships and the intensely competitive global environment.