10 Creative Punishment Ideas For Kids To Realize Their Mistakes

While all parents want their children to learn morally and socially acceptable conduct, it is only natural for children to err. Parenting comes with its own share of questions regarding what is right and wrong. One such lingering question the modern age parents encounter is if it is okay to punish kids and, if yes, what may be a constructive punishment for kids. Punishment need not always be stern, such as grounding them or canceling their allowance for a week. Instead, it can be creative and educational. Plunge into this post as we present you with creative punishment ideas to help your little ones learn from their mistakes.

Top 10 Creative Punishment Ideas For Your Kids:

Creative punishments, or creative consequences, will help your kids understand what they may have done wrong and help them move in the right direction, without feeling hurt or humiliated. Here are ten recommendations for creative punishment that you can use with your kids:

1. Time In Instead Of Time Out:

  • Ask your kid to do creative things during their 'time out' that will make it a 'time in.
  • Set consequences like making a crafty wreath for their room door, cleaning the bookshelf or completing a few pages of cursive handwriting.

2. Take The Pet Out For A Run:

  • If your kid has done something wrong in the house, let them go out on time off and cool it out.
  • Ask your kid to take the pet out for a stroll or run. In case you do not have a pet, you can ask your kid to run a few rounds of the yard or the garden.

3. Increase Bedtime:

  • Sometimes, you can adjust your kid's bedtime directly to the way they behave the day.
  • If your kid has been naughty and you want to punish them, bring up their bedtime by five to ten minutes or whatever you feel is correct.
  • The days they have been good, give them more playtime.

4. Make Them Serve Dinner:

  • If your kid does not make it to the dinner table on time, despite repeatedly reminding and calling, make them the server instead.
  • Make sure your kid has washed their hands before serving though and see to it that the food is not too hot that may cause an accident.

5. Power Of Practice:

  • If your kids have problems at school due to badly written homework or class work, make sure they get enough practice at home, instead of punishing or scolding them.
  • Get a few photocopies of the assignments and make them sit at home and copy it out repeatedly.
  • Also, make sure they take a little extra time to improve their handwriting.

6. Hold That Tongue:

  • If your kid uses a bad word or is rude, get him to hold his tongue, quite literally.
  • Ask them to take stick their tongue out and hold it in their fingers, for a few minutes.

7. Chore In Return:

  • For every time, your kid leaves the room in a mess or forgets to complete a responsibility, hand them a chore for the day.
  • Options could be drying the dishes, doing the dishes, setting the dinner table, watering the plants and anything age appropriate.

8. A No-Fight Zone:

  • If your kids seem to fight a lot, ask them to create a no-fight zone inside the house.
  • Let them cut out pictures of favorite things from old magazines and stick them around the house. The rule is that they will not be able to fight in front of the images.

9. Set A Time:

  • If your kids do not listen or, take too much time to finish something you have asked them to do, set a timer.
  • Instead of telling asking them to do it on the watch, set a timer and tell them that if it rings before they are finished, you will take off some or other privilege.

10. Creative Choices:

  • Ask your kids to write creative punishments on different slips of paper and put them in a jar.
  • Each time you need to punish, ask them to take out a chit and do whatever is written on it.

Use the punishment ideas here to discipline your kids in a way that will not humiliate them, but help them make better use of their time.

Moms, do tell us what you think of these ideas and if you have some tips or tricks, do share them here too.

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Debolina Raja came into the writing world while she was playing around with words and participating in various literary events. In the professional world, she found her writing interest in various genres such as health, wellness, parenting, relationship, and brand management. Having done a Masters degree in English literature from Delhi University, she loves reading, heading out on road trips, hibernating... more