Ground Rules For Grounding (11-23-2010)

 

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Do you know ground rules for grounding your teenager?

First, grounding needs to be a natural consequence or a break in trust, not the catchall consequence for every misbehavior. For instance, use it for a child who comes home late, not one who is caught stealing.

Second, never think of grounding as a punishment. Rather, as a time period for the teen and parent to work together to rebuild trust. It shouldn’t be a prison sentence where the teen sits in her room sulking.

And finally, never make a grounding open-ended. Doing so only leads to despair.

Grounding can be an effective means of breaking bad habits and rebuilding trust, but only if it is used in the right way.