Parents shape their children from the beginning of their children's lives. They teach their children (values). They share their interests with them. They develop close emotional ties with them. Parents can be very important teachers in their children's lives; however, they are not always the best teachers.
Parents may be too close to their children emotionally. For example, they may limit a child's (freedom) in the name of safety. A teacher may organize an educational trip to a big city, but a parent may think this trip is too (dangerous). A school may want to take the children camping, but a parent may be afraid of the child getting hurt.
Another problem is that parents sometimes expect their children's interests to be (similar) to their own. If the parents love science, they may try to (force) their child to love science too. But what if the child prefers art? If the parents enjoy sports, they may (expect) their child to participate on different teams. But what if the child prefers to read?
Parents want to pass on their values to their children. However, things change. The children of today are growing up in a world different from their parents' world. Sometimes parents, (especially) older ones, can't keep up with rapid social or technological changes. A student who has friends of different races at school may find that his parents have narrower views. A student who loves (computers) may find that her parents don't understand or value the (digital) revolution.
Parents are important teachers in our lives, but they aren't always the best teachers. Fortunately, we have many teachers in our lives. Our parents teach us, our teachers teach us, and we learn from our (peers). Books and newspapers also teach us. All of them are valuable.
