Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jasonlulu_2000]

For years we have been told that encouraging a child's self-respect is important to his or her success in life. But child experts are now learning that too much praise can lead to the opposite effect. Praise-aholic kids who expect it at every turn may become teens who seek the same kind of approval from their friends when asked if they want to go in the backseat of the car.

What does the underlined sentence mean?

Thanks

[redset]

An alcoholic is someone who's addicted to alcohol. Sometimes people say 'something-aholic' (or -oholic) to imply someone's addicted to or really enjoys the thing. Some other examples:

workaholic (someone who works a lot)
chocoholic (someone who loves chocolate)

Those are the only common ones I can think of! This isn't real grammar or anything, it's something people do informally. You can take any word (or even phrase) and whack -aholic on the end. You're an ESL Cafe-aholic!

[jasonlulu_2000]

Thanks. I think I got your point.

But I don't understand "teens seek the same kind of approval from their friends when asked if they want to go in the backseat of the car" .

[redset]

Oh haha right, sorry! I didn't actually read your question - I shouldn't do this right before bed.

Ok, it's basically saying that there are 'praise-aholic kids' who are used to receiving praise all the time, who expect to be congratulated or applauded for everything they do - kids who end up needing constant validation. The passage says that these kids may end up being teenagers who constantly seek approval from their friends, doing things to try and please them and make them popular - and one of the things they might do is have sex in the back of a car - or elsewhere of course, but car's just an idea of teenage privacy.

So basically it's trying to say that if your kids need constant praise and validation to feel good about themselves, when they're teenagers they might end up having sex to impress their friends! I can think of more important reasons to encourage self-confidence, but there it is.

[jasonlulu_2000]

It is really patient and kind of you to help me.

Last question is : How does "go to the back of a car" relate to having sex?

Is it a common connection?

Sorry for my stupid question. But that's indeed what I have in mind.

Thanks again.

[redset]

Yeah, it's common (especially in American teen films) for teenagers to get up to all kinds of things in their cars, since they usually live with their parents at that age and can't get any privacy at home! Drive-in movies (where you park your car in front of a screen and watch in your car) were partly a way for people to have some make-out privacy, although we never had them in this country so I can only tell you what I've heard But cars are kind of an independence thing for many teenagers, their own private space, and they can easily drive somewhere secluded and do whatever they want to do away from prying eyes. And if you're having sex the back seat is generally more convenient than the front seat!