Having children and teenagers is an amazing experience and brings parents so much joy. But there are of course times that kids misbehave and as a parent, it’s your role to discipline your children appropriately and effectively. There is so much discussion around this and what methods and approaches work well, and it’s up to you to decide what feels right for you. A popular choice over the years has been to ‘ground’ the child, whereby they are not allowed to leave the house for pleasure. However, this may not be the best choice, and here is why.
It’s Super Restrictive
For children and teenagers, not being able to go out and see friends is a disaster. Having this extreme measure in place can feel very unfair and cause your kid to miss out on important events.
It Creates Anger
Giving your kid such an extreme punishment will feel very unfair to them and as a result, they will likely just feel resentful. Being ‘grounded’ may make them feel disrespected and in turn, they may start to lose respect for themself.
It’s Not Effective
These feelings of resentment and disrespect may make them feel distanced and instead of them wanting to behave better in the future they are likely to want to continue to cause trouble. Approaching these situations with more mutual respect and communication is a better choice for all involved.