My teenager skipped class today...I need punishment ideas...got any?

Question

Ok so the school calls me today to tell me they caught my 14 year old daughter and a few friends in the neighborhood next to the school. They were skipping 5th period. I already took her cell phone away because she is failing a class. I plan on taking her computer privileges away when I get home but I'm trying to think of other ways I can punish her in addition to that. I think she is a little too old for a spanking even though she may need one from time to time. I talked to her (after the principal told me he is putting her in In School Suspension for 2 days) and I told her she is in BIG TROUBLE when she gets home. Now I'm just trying to decide what 'BIG TROUBLE' is...lol.... Any Ideas????

Answer 1

My dad came to school with me for an entire week because I skipped so much. Tell her you will personally escort her to class and stay with her since she can't be trusted. It worked on me...

Good luck!

Answer 2

I'd ask her about it first.. have you ever asked why she did it? There could be something going on that you don't know about; I know the reason why I don't want to go to class is not to rebel but because I'm depressed over something. As much as we'd like to think school and everything makes things better; having things pile up on you and other issues just takes everything out of you. Be careful; but limiting the time with her friends may help.

Answer 3

no tv for three  day,no phone for a week and no going out to any parties for 2 weeks

Answer 4

No phone, no computer. And if you really want to get her make her help out with chores around the house. Ya know, make her clean the bathroom (toilet included) or something not so fun and easy. Also, school's nowadays have these sites you can sign up on and you can get their attendance records and grades on a daily basis. Make sure she knows if you sign up because then she will know you are paying attention and will MAYBE be less likely to skip.

Answer 5

I would talk to her about it and kinda tell her that it was pretty stupid of her on her part...dont go too crazy on that though... I would seriously threaten to go to school with her for a full day and follow her around...she would just DIE thinking about it...

that should set her straight

Answer 6

My daughter went back to school Monday after a suspension.

I think the advice i received was awesome!!!

1st- Let me suggest for "taking 3 sick days" she will only be allowed the soup of her choice, that she must prepare of course.Soup & crackers for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack- while you are eating a meal in front of her. It usually disuades an excessive amount of days off.

2nd-"Cinderella duty"- this will make up for the anguish she has caused you. Easter is this week...I'm sure you can find plenty of jobs for her to do.

3rd- Talk to her...Let her know that life is full of choices-she made the wrong one. Make sure the kids she is hanging with aren't a bad influence.

4th-Make her write a letter why it was a bad descision. Make her think about it.

5th-The grounding (No firends, calls, TV, video games, etc) until her behavior changes to your satisfaction.

Good luck...It will work!

Answer 7

Ground her from EVERYTHING for a week. When she is home, she is only to sit on the couch or at the table and do her homework. When she's done, she may sit on the couch until bed, and then she will go to bed. No electronics or privileges.

Answer 8

You can take everything away from her and get extremely angry at her, but she won't care. Teens thrive off their parents anger, making them want to do it more. You have to sit her down and make her regret what she did. Tell her that you are extremely disapointed in her. If she has a comment, let her talk and keep calm. Tell her why you are going to punish her and what you want her future to be like. Try taking her to a homeless shelter and telling her that her education is important or she'll end up in the worst of situations. Always stay calm and let her express herself. Give her time to think things over.

Answer 9

haha make her go to all her classes and apologise to all her teachers in front of the students

Answer 10

sounds pretty bad :[

Well i'm 15 and I know that my mom would be furious with me if my school called her and told her I was skipping.

If I were you I would probably send her to her room and after a few minutes of thinking go talk to her about how fortunate she is to have an education and that she shouldn't skip class, because one day she will wish that she learned some things in school.

Answer 11

Find out what was SO important to her that she was willing to skip school and accept the suspension she earned for her choice.

Think about attending classes with her for several days. One mother I knew showed up to her son's school in slippers, a housecoat, pajamas and curlers in her hair. She told him "you embarrased me by skipping school and getting detention by your poor choices, so now I'd like to embarrass you". He never skipped again!

You can also plan several 'unannounced' visits to  her classes to make sure she is actually in attendance. Time your visits at different class periods  over a period of several days (NOT IN A ROW) and make sure she is fulfilling her responsibility to get an education.

As her parent you can actually be held for legal issues for your child being truant.

Answer 12

Eventually though she is just going to get wiser on what she can and needs to do in order to not get caught. When the school would call my house and the automated voice would say "A student in your household......" I would always make sure to answer and pretend to be talking a friend. I learned to forge my moms signature too.

Answer 13

ground her to her room with no phone no computer.. let her come out for the bathroom and dinner only.. no tv nothing extra.. and on the weekends she stays home and is grounded to her room.. take out anything fun that is in her room!

Answer 14

Well, kids detest the in-school suspension, tell her she can not see these "friends" of hers if she messes up one more time maybe? Boy, my sons 11 and we have our fair share of troubles-good luck dear...Also, whether true or not-TELL her you will be in constant contact w/her teachers, etc...about this. I would also try and see if somethings wrong at school( like w/kids in the class she skipped?)...

Answer 15

I like amykissinger's idea.  Escort her to class (or have a grandparent do so).  Trust me, the embarrassment will be enough for her to stop skipping anything.  With teenagers, there's no talking to.  We're going to do what we want to do.  When you take things away we know that there are other things and eventually we get them back.  There is one thing though, teenagers hate to be embarrassed!!!  Especially by a parent.  I'm only 19, but when I was 14, image and status meant everything.  I think she'll get the picture.

Answer 16

In high school my Dad came to school with me and sat right next to me in all my classes for 3 whole days!!! i know that probably isn't an option for most people with work and everything.

Answer 17

i'd ask why she was skipping those particular classes and talk to her about why she is failing and notify the teachers so that they can hellp but you shouldn't shout at her because thats what she wants and she just carry on doing it otherwise, the sooner you find the promblem the easier the solution, being a teenager myself. xx

Answer 18

There are several things you can do. I would start by grounding her, removing her computer, turning off the TV, etc. Have her slowly earn her priviledges back a little at a time. If she's failing, skipping and doing other things - perhaps you could have a talk with her and see if there are things that are bothering her. She may not talk to you, but at least you will have asked and she will know that you care.

Shadowing is another thing that sometimes works. That's where you go to class with her, etc. It does require you to take off work, etc. You could tell her you are considering this. Lay out the guidelines from this point forward and tell her if she breaks the guidelines, then you will shadow her. That might be an option.

Answer 19

o.k. mom, take a deep breath. I am the mom of an 18 & 16 yo girls. 18 yo was the demon child, ditched school, got in fights you name it, she's done. My 16yo, perfect, never had a call home. My mistake was getting freaked out and i will tell you from experience, it'll get you nowhere. i exploded over everything she did and it never phased her. sit her down, do the i love you so much talk, i want whats best for you, you don't have  too many years left and the closer you get to 12th grade the harder it's going to be catch up -  take away the phone, computer, leave the t.v. even criminals get t.v. for god's sake. most kids today push the boundries, could be the kids she hanging with. Pull up some want ads, show her the level of education needed to succeed in a mediocore job; you will spend more evenings explaining the same things over and over. just remember, you're there to guide and love, and sometimes that feels like being much of a warden.

I learned from the thousands of $'s spent in counseling for my girl that it's about FIRM & FAIR & CONSISTENT - If you say no today, then it's still no a week from now. [e-mail], anytime you need an ear or advice, let me know.

Answer 20

I'd talk to her about it first. Ask her if she knew why she was in trouble. Ask her why she did it. Asked her if she knows why it's wrong to skip school. And then asked her what her punishment should be. If she's included in figuring out her punishment, she's more likely to stick with it and it'll help to show her that you recognize that she's getting older and that you're willing to treat her like a young adult. Of course, have an idea in your head of what her punishment will be if she either doesn't come up with a good one or disrespects you.