Help! Punishment Advice...

[kimbug]

I have a 13 year old son... He's a pretty good kid, but since he turned 13
he's been pushing the limits - big time!
He spent the night at his friend's house last night and calls me this morning
to let me know that he and his friend got picked up by the police last night. It turns out that they had decided that it would be
fun to ride their scooters down to the store (7-11 type - only NOT open all night...)
since they were hungry... They left the friend's house around 1 or 2am
without telling anyone, and took off for the store. This is after I told them
at 9:30pm that I would take them to the store if they wanted junk food, but
that they were not to be out running around after 10:00pm.
I've never really had to ground him or anything like that before... I'm a
single parent, and his Dad is not around at all...
Any advice on a fitting punishment?

H E L P ! ! !

[ToplessRideFL]

Any advice on a fitting punishment?

H E L P ! ! !

Punishment should fit the crime. How about loss of scooter priviledge and / or loss of being allowed to spend the night at a freinds house for a period of time. 2 weeks seems sufficient. I doubt they were hungry... I would be they just wanted to "do it" to see if they could.

Was he scared when the police got involved? I am sure you spoke to him about the danger of being out at that time of night.... etc. He's just pushing you. Stand firm!

[land_shark3]

I can't speak as a parent, but it sounds like something I would have done.

Time for the scooter to disappear for a while. He's reached an age where rebellion is getting ready to kick in full stride. (I know, because I at 14 is when I really started to "push the limits"). If you don't stand firm now, those limits are going to get pushed further and further.

In my best Dr. Phil impersonation; your son is reaching out for attention. He needs to know that this is not the way to get it.

(this coming from someone who was on a first name basis with most of the local police. )

[RinglingRingling]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

[land_shark3]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

Then get another one.

[ZeroDuval]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

Then get another one.

or two...

[RinglingRingling]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

Then get another one.

I am not lying when I tell people my folks wore out two sticks on me.

[kimbug]

Any advice on a fitting punishment?

H E L P ! ! !

Punishment should fit the crime. How about loss of scooter priviledge and / or loss of being allowed to spend the night at a freinds house for a period of time. 2 weeks seems sufficient. I doubt they were hungry... I would be they just wanted to "do it" to see if they could.

Was he scared when the police got involved? I am sure you spoke to him about the danger of being out at that time of night.... etc. He's just pushing you. Stand firm!

Ya, he was pretty scared. He was real quiet on the phone at his friend's
house this morning, but once he called me when he got home, he cried.
He's a good boy, but I just don't want him to think that this sort of thing
is okay...
What scares me the most is that nobody even knew that they were out
of the house... Anything could have happened, and 13 year old boys don't
usually carry around ID...

[kimbug]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

I think he's stronger than me...

Upper body strength isn't my....well....strength...

[LIPH]

Make him listen to Britney Spheres and Hilary Duff CDs non-stop for a couple of days.

[ToplessRideFL]

He's a good boy, but I just don't want him to think that this sort of thing
is okay...

I would stand firm on loosing the scooter and the sleep over priviledge... After all a holiday weekend is coming up! He will surely feel the loss!

[land_shark3]

He's a good boy, but I just don't want him to think that this sort of thing
is okay...

I would stand firm on loosing the scooter and the sleep over priviledge... After all a holiday weekend is coming up! He will surely feel the loss!

Oh yeah, I didn't even think about the holiday weekend.

[RinglingRingling]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

I think he's stronger than me...

Upper body strength isn't my....well....strength...

take out the legs first... makes it harder for him to run.

[PHBeerman]

I know it is going to be hard for you to believe this, but I too got into a little trouble in my teens.........


I know, you are saying right now "Say it isn't so Troy" But, unfortunately it is.

I think the best forms of punishment for me was always work. We used to have wood out back to split, stack, and unstack and restack if there was not any to stack for the first time. Needless to say, I stacked a lot of wood. Anyway, find some good hard labor for him to do, and make him do it for about an hour per night.
If you take his scooter away, he will ride his bike. On top of the work tell him that he "will not be able to hang out with this friend if he is not able to make good decisions when he is with him"

[RinglingRingling]

I know it is going to be hard for you to believe this, but I too got into a little trouble in my teens.........


I know, you are saying right now "Say it isn't so Troy" But, unfortunately it is.

I think the best forms of punishment for me was always work. We used to have wood out back to split, stack, and unstack and restack if there was not any to stack for the first time. Needless to say, I stacked a lot of wood. Anyway, find some good hard labor for him to do, and make him do it for about an hour per night.
If you take his scooter away, he will ride his bike. On top of the work tell him that he "will not be able to hang out with this friend if he is not able to make good decisions when he is with him"

Did anyone else feel the earth stop spinning there for a moment or two after that revelation?

[A Balding Fan]

I remember when my lil sister did that at her age.. and yes they got caught by the cops too.


I think she had no tv and phone rights for about 3 weeks. And I belive she also had to do extra chores---more cleaning of the bathrooms and all.

[kimbug]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

I think he's stronger than me...

Upper body strength isn't my....well....strength...

take out the legs first... makes it harder for him to run.

Wish I could...

[kimbug]

I know it is going to be hard for you to believe this, but I too got into a little trouble in my teens.........


I know, you are saying right now "Say it isn't so Troy" But, unfortunately it is.

I think the best forms of punishment for me was always work. We used to have wood out back to split, stack, and unstack and restack if there was not any to stack for the first time. Needless to say, I stacked a lot of wood. Anyway, find some good hard labor for him to do, and make him do it for about an hour per night.
If you take his scooter away, he will ride his bike. On top of the work tell him that he "will not be able to hang out with this friend if he is not able to make good decisions when he is with him"

Good advice... Thanks... I don't know of any 'hard labor' that he could
do... We live in an apartment - no wood to split, or lawn to mow...

[PHBeerman]

I know it is going to be hard for you to believe this, but I too got into a little trouble in my teens.........


I know, you are saying right now "Say it isn't so Troy" But, unfortunately it is.

I think the best forms of punishment for me was always work. We used to have wood out back to split, stack, and unstack and restack if there was not any to stack for the first time. Needless to say, I stacked a lot of wood. Anyway, find some good hard labor for him to do, and make him do it for about an hour per night.
If you take his scooter away, he will ride his bike. On top of the work tell him that he "will not be able to hang out with this friend if he is not able to make good decisions when he is with him"

Good advice... Thanks... I don't know of any 'hard labor' that he could
do... We live in an apartment - no wood to split, or lawn to mow...

Find an old couple in the area that needs some help around their place.

[buffettbride]

there is always the old fashioned, "beat him with a stick until the stick wears out"...

Then get another one.

I am not lying when I tell people my folks wore out two sticks on me.

I think I'd probably take away the scooter, put an ix-nay on that friend for a while, and make him do hard labor for a bit.