What do you think about this punishment for bad grades?

[PaulaSB12]

So what exactly did she do I can't see the video so don't know. I tried looking for it and found this

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-6128988-504083.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Since when does a bad grade mean the death penalty for a pet?

 

[zippitydooda]

The first thing I heard was she makes him stand out on that corner for HOURS a week. Hmmmmmmmmmm.

How about making him sit and STUDY for HOURS a week, right in front of you. No phone, no music, no tv, no video games, no distractions. But here's the catch. Find something that the child LIKES, and find out every possible thing about it. If it is a sport, get involved in helping coach a peewee league.... give him some TOOLS to learn with....

You cannot teach someone to learn by humiliation. I totally get that she is frustrated. I totally get that he isn't trying. But I would have to agree with several other posters that there are some underlying issues going on.

Wow. This kid is going to try to run away from this situation.

 

[Moabite]

I'd set him down at the table with his homework and not let him leave until he was caught up. This would happen everyday. No phone, no TV, no privileges of any sort until everything is caught up. I would be right there beside him the whole time. Then I'd ship him off to Outward Bound or a similar outdoor skill-teamwork building course for a good three months in the wilderness (Ma Nature has a way with kids). After that, I let him make this choices, sink or swim. A good sword must be tempered by fire.

I believe she is doing the best she can with what she's got. She's asking for help.

 

[Britney]

Instead of making him stand on a street corner he should have a tutor and be studying. I do not agree with the mother.

 

[cassie]

I couldn't get the video to run. But I don't think punishment and humiliation works very well to get a kid to improve his/her grades. My parents tried both with me. All it did was make me miserable and hate school. Didn't improve my grades one iota.

 

[silkiechicken]

Perhaps where the kid lives standing on the street corner would give an impression of what he might end up doing if he does not pick up his act, and the experience of standing on a street corner will get to him more than tutoring. For all we know they have already tried every other option, or in their area of town, those options are not affordable.

 

[TigerLilly]

Quote:
THAT was also my first thought! Granted, most kids don't LIKE to study & do homework, but as parents, it is OUR job to make sure that happens.
The older my boys got, if they brought home 'bad' grades (anything below a C in any class), they had a variety of punishments to choose from. Grounding, clean out their room of ALL their luxuries (and it's worse when they have to do it), etc.
Of course, when my oldest was a senior, he had to read "My Antonia" and answer questions on a daily basis. The boy HATED reading. We started with him reading to me...I took over the reading when I almost fell asleep...it was boring & uninteresting to him--and I could understand why. To him it was a 'girly' book. So I would read aloud (which I love to do) and we would discuss it afterward, he would do his homework. Great bonding time & a memory I will treasure forever! He is now a well-adjusted adult with a family of his own & not afraid to tell us that he is grateful for the way he was raised--what more could a mother ask for?

 

[cabincrazyone]

I watched the vid and skipped to the front end of the thread without reading it. I can't judge the folks in the video. I don't know what I would do ... thank God my kids were and are responsible .... but it seems to me that humiliation, being a very negative thing ... is going down the wrong road ... something like that could drive him away from his parents ... and into drugs and crime. It has nothing to do with teaching what's right. If that was me standing there with that humiliating sign on me, what would I be thinking about those long hours being on display? Looking at people laughing in passing cars, feeling like a sub-human ... will I think "Boy I sure do love my parents. I can't wait to get home and give them a hug. I'll dive right into my homework, too". Or would I want to disappear and find a friend with a joint or a bottle?

It seems that something POSITIVE, some sort of inspiration, appeal to his interests and use them to demonstrate the advantages of responsibility. It's not easy being a parent. Doing the best you can for your kid is something that will shape his whole life, not to mention give parents pleasant memories or terrible nightmares for the rest of their lives.

 

[dewey]

I just wonder how she got him to stand on the street with a humilating sign around his neck, but couldn't get him to do his school work.

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
good question. Not knowing the whole situation, this does seem radical but I think the parents love him and have run out of options. Kid is stubborn. Take humilation over just doing his work.

That shrink can go play with the sharks....I'm tired of all the modly kodling of people. My dad never worried about hurting my feelings, now I worried about him hurtin my back end, tho....