Parents are fuelling bad behavior among their children by attempting to "buy" their love with expensive gifts nowadays. Over recent decades we seem to have created a "must have" culture among our young people. Many mothers and fathers believe they are "failing as parents" if they are unable to ensure that their children have the latest toy, electronic devices (the lap-top, cellphones, Game Boy, etc.) along with their friends. In many cases, families also feel pressured to enroll   children in "'every interest club or after-school activity that is available" to fill up their time like most of the other children. But experts warned that the move might affect "precious family time" negatively. Graham Gorton, chairman of the Independent Schools Association, said that parents spent too much time filling their children's lives, which had a series of negative effects on "the very precious family time that exists". "It seems that those times when a whole weekend without planned work was seen as a luxury   and a perfect opportunity to spend time together and share those valuable moments of childhood are long gone," Mr. Gorton said. "As a child I only once said that phrase that parents feared 'I'm bored'. Immediately my mother took action and produced a list of jobs and then insisted that I complete every one of them. Though l didn't think cleaning all the floors could really get rid of my boredom, I enjoyed the feeling of staying at home with my mother and brothers." Earlier this year, some researchers suggested that relatively wealthy parents were sometimes guilty of failing to teach basic social skills to children. "Often, it's the rich middle classes that buy off their children through the computer and the TV. That then sets them apart from their family, and then the parents are surprised when their child isn' t coming to school." Which of the following is the best advice you could give to parents based on Gorton's statement?
Plan fewer activities for their children to improve family time. Buy their children fewer things that they are fond of. Give their children more housework to do. Leave their children alone when the kids feel bored.