Dont you think grounding a teen for 5 weeks in the SUMMER is waaaaay excessive?

Question

i used to have a really cool job at a book store but the store is now under reconstruction and my dad wont even let me apply for another one! Its summer and i'm here all day every day. It started as 3 wks and i thought i was going to die and then 2 more wks were added on for NO real reason and i'm seriously going mental.

SERIOUSLY. I need help!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PPL. Dont tell me to suck it up. Tell me how to make your parents change their mind!!! I'm so desparate. i promise to pick u as best answer if u give me good ideas.

THANKS

Answer 1

I think we need more info.  I personally believe that 5 weeks is excessive but who knows how bad you are *lol* Let us know and maybe you can get more help/ideas...

Answer 2

I think that punishment is way too extreme. Tell your Dad that you do indeed know the value of working. There is no reason he should ground you. If you're a teenager,This is the prime of your life, not to mention the best season. Have you asked why you're not allowed to get another job? Try sitting down and reasoning. If you were to get another job, it would show him you are willling to work. But nobody should ever be isolated at your age. I was isoalted in my house until age 16, now, I don't know how old you are. But if you're 16 or older and have shown that you are mature and have proved it by having a job. Remind your Dad that you can make adult decisions, and I hate to say this, but if you need to do so, just leave the house and go look for work. It might be rebellious, but if you end up with a job, there isn't much Dad can say or do. If you are too young to do this, tell your Dad to give you a chance to prove yourself. Tell him that he too, was a teenager once, and remind him how difficult it is to be young and growing up in this generation. That's about all I can think of cause I'm not sure how old you are. Hope I could help, if not sorry and best of luck!

Answer 3

5 weeks is a little much but being grounded is warrented you used his credit card without permission! you could have went over his monthly balance. even if you did pay him back and since you had the money to pay him back why didn't you just ask him. you should just apologize sincerly apologize the fact that you are starting to go crazy shows me that you have learned your lesson. parents do things for a reason. and since you already payed him back do things around the house to show him that you are ready to get off of your grounding I doubt he will take you off early he is upset and trust me your lucky he didn't kill you. if I did that at your age my parents would have beat the c**p out of me. you can also kill them with kindness doing everything you can to make your dad see that you have learned. I hope this helps

Answer 4

Your parents have their reasons. You broke the rules and there are consequences for that just like in real life. Your parents are trying to teach you something. It's not just because they are mean. They are trying to teach you life skills. You can't always just do what you want when you want. It doesn't work that way in the real world.

I know it's hard but find constructive ways to pass the time. Get a hobby or two. Read books. Listen to music. Play games. Make up a game. Draw. There is a lot you can do at home. If you are good then maybe your parents will let you have a friend over for a day.  Be respectful. Don't argue. Just ask. Accept their answer if it's no because that will show them that you are mature. You will be rewarded then. Patience, my sweet.

Answer 5

Using someone's credit card without permission is stealing, and that's pretty serious.  Had it been anyone else's card, you could have gotten into much worse trouble. You also violated your dad's trust in you, and I'm sure that made him more hurt and angry.  

BUT, 5 weeks does seem like a long time, and you did pay him back. Can you talk to him and tell him you want the opportunity to try and earn his trust back?  Maybe you didn't understand the seriousness of your actions, but now you do, and going out to work and earn your own money would help you learn responsibility.  Maybe he would compromise and let you go out for the purpose of applying for jobs.   I think negotiation is the only option at this point.

Answer 6

You can get them to change their mind by not having done what you did.

If you'd have stolen MY credit card, grounding would have been the least of your worries.  You don't seem to understand how serious that it.  "Wrong" doesn't quite cover it.  And frankly, just judging by your tone and attitude here, it doesn't sound like you've learned your lesson, so I can understand why dad keeps tacking on another week.  He really could be doing a lot more.

Answer 7

I got put on restriction for over a month for sneaking out. No phone, no tv, no going out, no nothing. I lived. Break the rules, suffer the consequences. Did I think it was excessive, yes, but my happy @ss never snuck out again did it? NOPE.

Answer 8

Why are you grounded?  It can't be because he wants to keep you locked up - what did you do, young lady?

Answer 9

It sucks, but you'll have to completely change your attitude to prove to them you learned your lesson. You obviously could not have done something too terrible if you still have computer privileges. If they seem un willing to budge on finding a job; tell them that you learned your lesson and in search of being a better person, more responsible person, you'd like to give back by becoming volunteer at the hospital or something like that. At least it'll get you out of the house.

Answer 10

Edit: You were wrong and could have gone to jail instead for what you did.Get over it.

My original post did not understand what the heck the original poster was talking about.

Answer 11

So why are you grounded?  

Whatever you did, if your parents feel 5 weeks is enough, then thats it. There is nothing you can do.  Why dont you read a book.

EDIT:  Stealing your dads credit card deserves five weeks.  If you were my child, I would ground you all the way until school starts back up again.  Stealing is wrong, and you are old enough to know better, whether you pay it back or not.  If he called it in stolen and you were buying things at the same time, you would have been arrested.  No five weeks is good.

Answer 12

well think about this for a minute.  You pretty much stole your fathers credit card and bought yourself an expensive gift.  That is pretty bad, and being grounded for 3 weeks is not that outrageous.  then you defy your parents by sneaking out, so of course you got more time added.  It sounds like you didn't mean it to be as bad, by paying him back, but you can see how you went about it the wrong way.  What you should have done, was ask your parents to loan you the money, with a plan as to how to pay them back before you bought it.  If you have never done anything like that before, then maybe you should sit down with them and explain to them, that you fully intended to pay them back, and was in such a hurry to buy it online while it was on sale, that you never thought to ask them first.  You should apologize for using the card without permission,and promise that next time you will ask them first and not be so impetuous.  If you act mature and reasonable, and are genuinely sorry, they may consider reducing your grounding, who knows.

Answer 13

LMAo if you stole my credit card you would NEVER see the light of day again. Stealing a credit card is a criminal act worth a lot more than 5 weeks grounding. the fact that you used the card to buy a laptop makes it a felony in most states due to the amount of purchase. If i were you Id simply do the time. Your d**n lucky your dad didnt dispute the charges and have you charged with the crime.

Answer 14

It depends on what you did...sometimes that kind of punishment is warranted.

Answer 15

You didn't tell us what you did to warrant grounding for 3 weeks and what you did later to warrant grounding for an additional 2 weeks.  Sorry, but I don't buy your assertion that the additional 2 weeks were added on for no real reason.  Also, your user name speaks to your personality.  Sounds to me like you're the problem, and I'm betting the problem is your attitude.  Your parents are in charge, and your choice is to live under their roof by their rules or move out.  Learn some humility and spent the next 2 or 3 weeks showing your parents that you really are sorry for what you did.  Maybe they'll shorten your sentence.

Answer 16

I think the punishment was warranted.  You did not ask for permission before you put a major charge on your father's credit card.  You should be thankful that it was only a couple of weeks in your home and not jail time.  That's theft and it's illegal.  If you knew you could pay him back, then why didn't you go to him and tell him you wanted the laptop and you would work to pay the credit card off BEFORE you used the credit card.  You are not going to die and you are not going insane.  Not only did you break the rules, but you committed a crime.  I think you need to apologize to your parents and stick it out for the rest of your punishment.

Answer 17

yeah that's a bit much.  whatever you did had to be really, really bad.

*edit:  You STOLE your dad's card?  seriously?  why are you even asking us that question then.  who cares if you paid him back the next day even.  that's serious business, you totally violated his privacy, his finances.  you have no idea how much your actions could have affected him, what if he didn't have enough open credit on the card for your purchase?  nevermind, five weeks?  my mom would have killed me.

Answer 18

Well, by your name, I'm thinking  you deserved every

minute of it.

Just out of curiosity what did you do  to merit this

excessive grounding?

I think you were punished fairly... sorry..

but what you did was bad and did deserve a punishment.

Did you get to keep the laptop?

Answer 19

kill em with kindness and start doing MAJOR work around the house. you know like when people are in jail and they get out earlt for good behavior. like that. and just be nicer than nice and sweeter than sweet and no back talk and no attitude and that should get you somewhere

Answer 20

It does seem excessive. Did you do something or get into some kind of trouble?

I would respectfully talk with your folks, let them know you are truly sorry for whatever it is you did, and see if you can at the very least come to some kind of compromise.

Good luck!

Answer 21

Well what did you do to get grounded?

Answer 22

Guess what honey...you won't go insane!  You are learning some responsibility and you shall survive.  Your parents are not over doing the punishment especially since it sounds like you can't stick to the orginal punishment.  Be lucky they let you on the computer!

Answer 23

Okay, so let's review.  You stole several hundred dollars from your dad, you also did something else which you aren't saying, and then you snuck out of the house.  You are grounded to the house, but it appears you still have computer priviledges...probably phone and TV too, am I right?  In my opinion, you got off light.

If you want your parents to suspend your punishment, the first thing you have to do is realize that you deserved it.  It seems to me that you still don't think you've done anything wrong.  Then, you have to show them through words AND actions that they can trust you again.  Figure out a good plan for repaying your father.  Do some work around the house (without being asked or whining) to show them that you feel bad about what you did.

Answer 24

What did you do to get grounded? 5 weeks is excessive......I personally never grounded for more than a week during summer.......but that depends on what you did.

Answer 25

You deserve the punishment sorry but "suck it up"

Answer 26

Wow! It sounds as if your parent lost their temper. I lost my temper w/ my child,7 yrs old, and said "No friends for 8 days!"

To a seven yr old that is forever. I told him I was sorry and shortened it to 3.

We parents are not perfect, give your parent and yourself a few days to calm down. Then, adult like as you can, have a heart to heart w/ them. Even if you do not think you were wrong say you were and that you understand why they were angry but that summer is not going to last much longer and could they please consider shortening it.

You may have a hard time doing this but I bet you would much rather enjoy whats left of your summer.

Good luck!

Answer 27

what did you do to get grounded for 5 weeks?

just not having a job wouldnt be means for grounding.

Answer 28

Well I would start by saying you having a job is a way for you to learn about money management now and will help you as an adult, and tell them its not healthy for anyone to be in the house that long you need to get out. Tell them its healthy for a teen to work and learn about money now!!