Courtesy of Bethaney Phillips
- My kids never really listened when we would ground them or put them in time-out.
- However, we realized that docking their allowance made them improve their behavior.
- They also have a chance to earn back any lost money if they want.
As a mom to two boys who are only , and their behavior (or lack thereof) is a direct reflection of me.
Grounding them worked, sometimes. The problem with it is that the punishment isn’t immediate. And honestly, sometimes it’s more of a grounding for me. I have to remember what they’re restricted from doing, and then also remember to enforce it. When I’m already running on mental fumes, this is not ideal. To be fair, they are honest and will remind me what they are grounded from, but it’s still something to remember.
Timeouts happen in the moment, but once it’s over, their mood is unlikely to have changed. More often than not they went on to continue bickering or break another rule with their poor mood.
Docking our kids’ allowance is fast and effective, and I can do it without raising my voice. We’ve been following this parenting tactic for the last several months and plan to continue it as long as it encourages good behavior with our kids.
