Spare the rod, spoil the child

[Dystopia]

First-world punishments for the elder kids:

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- One day with no computer access... stretching to one week or month or until the end of the school year, as required.
- No TV (this is impossible when you have more than one kid, as it either becomes a punishment for all or none) - I use it when they're eating and can't get their eyes of the telly... first I pause it, and if they don't finish their plates in 5 minutes, I reason that the phosphorous on the screen is getting damaged and so I turn it off.
- I haven't reached the point where my kids have their own mobile phones... but confiscation of the phone for a day, week, etc... might do wonders, specially now that these devices can do anything a computer does, specially games!

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Those all sound pretty good. Amusingly, about the "No TV" bit - that's my favorite..it's my favorite -because- it punishes them collectively for the actions of the individual. "All together or not at all" daddy always says. I want them to police themselves and each other. It's a core value I'm trying to sear into their minds positively and negatively.

I highly suspect by the time I have kids the no TV won't make a difference since most programs/channels will be watched on PC's or tablets, my baby brother already watches cartoons on our laptop, we have the advantage to pick when he watches and what specifically. It's a very nice core value, however I tend to think indoctrinating a too much collective mentality is not the way to go. I never got punished for the actions of my sister nor did she for mine, in a certain way individual guilt has a certain prevalence since making someone responsible for something they didn't do is not proportional by nature. I'd say the following - One for all and all for one, BUT individual guilt will always exist.

I disagree partially with the punishments of taking away TV, cellphone or video games, etc. Why? Very simple, it never worked for me, I'd find a way to turn the tide, by playing console on a friend's house, watching TV secretly or using another cellphone, if my kid turns out to be as smart (maybe cheater would best apply here) then he would find a way, and the punishment will just be seen as 'boring stuff that won't change behavior at all'. The best way to punish me was my mum telling me 'I'm mad at you', nothing worked better, I always repented and fixed things.