Top 10 Creative Punishment Ideas for Kids

Introduction

Punishment is defined as the imposition of consequences on an individual for unacceptable behaviour or act, with an aim to teach them a lesson. Parents punish their kids to discipline them, hoping they would not repeat the act for which they got punished in the first place.

A time-out in the corner, not permitting them to play or watch TV, etc. are a few common punishments you must have given your kids. There are times when your kids even know what punishment they will receive even before you tell them! This is because you are trying out a few numbered punishments in rotations or have a fixed punishment for a particular act, and your child knows about all of them. Yes, kids are THAT smart! You need to come up with better punishment ideas for kids.

 

 

We have brainstormed the top 10 creative punishment ideas for kids that are suitable for all age groups – be it for your naughty toddler or for your lying teenager.  Let’s dive right in!

 

10 Creative Punishment Ideas For Your Kids

 

1. Pick your Chit –

On a weekend, sit with your child and ask him to write fun punishment ideas for kids on colorful chits and put them in a bowl. Each time he does something bad, ask him to pick one chit from the bowl and follow what’s written on it. This is a great way to make him responsible for his own consequences and is fun to watch too!

 

 

2. An Apology Card:

If your kid has broken a flower vase or has spoken a bad word, do not scold her. Instead, ask her to draw a card apologizing for it. Not just a ‘sorry’ written on a white paper. Tell her she has to be as creative as she can using colourful sketch pens, crafts, anything! This way she will learn to apologize and help bring out her creative side in the best way possible.

 

 

3.  A Helping Hand –

Another great idea of punishment is to make them your helping hand for household chores. This could be folding clothes, cleaning the room, dusting shelves,ironing clothes, you name it!

 

 

4. Art of Segregation –

Give your child a pair of gloves and ask her to segregate the trash at home between wet waste and dry waste. This is a wonderful way to make your child learn trash management and can be used as a creative way of punishment too. Win, win!

 

 

5.bCalm Nerves Down –

Meditation and yoga have gained immense popularity worldwide for the benefits it has on mental and physical health. Give your children a taste of it, early in the morning, and join them! Practice meditation and yoga together for a week and observe changes in their behaviour. This would also put them in a habit of waking up early and having a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

6. Earn your Pocket Money –

If you have found out that your teen has recently lied about something, don’t just cut off their pocket money for the week. Ask them to earn it instead. For example, your 13 year old can make home-made lemonade and sell it in the neighborhood or your colony. The money that he would earn from it, would be his allowance for one week. This not only acts as a creative way to punish but also teaches the value of money.

 

7.  Water Plants –

Kids are occupied with so many things nowadays that they forget the importance of nature around them. Watering plants everyday for a week can be a great way to help them bond with nature and could also be a fresh break from their everyday busy routine.

 

8. The Routine Life –

Has your teen broken the curfew time again? Don’t worry. We have a great idea to teach them a lesson, written by themselves. Give them a sheet of paper and ask them to write a day-to-night routine for 5 days a week. Stick it on the wall or on their wardrobe and tell them to follow it diligently for 5 days straight. If they don’t follow it properly, extend the days from five to ten. This will put them in a habit of routine-life and ensure they are no more past the curfew time.

 

9. House of Cards –

Give your daughter a bundle of cards and tell her to build a house or a pyramid out of it. This builds concentration and teaches them to never give up. This could be a valuable way for them to spend time constructively. 

 In this, choose any one task for yourself and your child and reverse roles! For example, if your son watches television after coming back from school and you give them milk and snacks, exchange your roles. You sit back and watch TV while your son brings you tea and cookies! This could be one of the cute punishment ideas for kids we bet you have never tried before.

Kids do tons of things that can account for punishments. They may do this knowingly or unknowingly and as parents it is our job to right their wrong. When we scold or be too harsh with them each time they do something unacceptable, it instigates a sense of fear in them. Due to this fear, you may find your teenager lying to you for even the pettiest of things. Research indicates teenagers and early adults lie because of various factors which may include emotional changes, peer pressure, family issues,etc.  It takes time and effort to build a relationship of trust between you and your teen, so that they can share their feelings without the fear of being judged or misunderstood. You might have to step into their shoes for a day or two to understand their life and the people in it. 

 

Conclusion

Various types of punishments for a child have been practised over the years. Some of them were harsh, some didn’t teach them anything. These are 10 punishments that work wonders for your kids, teaching them something at every step. The idea of punishment is not to make your kid feel bad about themselves. Rather, it is done to make them understand what they did and why it was wrong. These top 10 creative punishment ideas for kids are here to do just that! Relax parent, you got this!

 

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