7 creative ways parents punish their kids

When it comes to parenting, kids can never win. Whether it is straightforward punishments or disciplinary action that’s a bit more creative, parents always win.

Here are some of the most creative ways parents have punished their kids.

Making siblings share the same shirt and slow dance after a fight

A video on Twitter surfaced of a mother who made her sons share a shirt and dance together every time they got into a fight.

Standing on a mat and forbidding them to move

Some parents use this to punish their kids when their little ones wander off to places they were warned against. The child is made to stand on top of a small towel, shirt, or mat and told not to wander out of its limits.

Being forced to finish a whole jar of food the kids were caught stealing

This probably happened to most of you. When your mama caught you licking sugar after warning you once or twice not to do it anymore, then you still went ahead to do it.

When caught, she made you sit down and forced you to either finish that 2kg packet of sugar or face a more severe punishment.

Cull a repeated habit through extreme measures

I read this story about a girl who would answer questions from her parents by shrugging.

“Did you break the flask?”

*Shrugs*

“What happened to the curtains?”

*Shrugs*

This went on for a few weeks until the mum threatened to tie large rocks to her shoulders so she wouldn’t be able to lift her shoulders.

Soda bought for other better-behaved children

One time at a kiosk, a child decided to ask for a soda. When the parent refused, the child threw a tantrum and even called the mum names.

The mum took it all in stride and finished her shopping. Now there was another family that was waiting in line and the mums shared a look. After she was done, the mum of the tantrum kid bought a Fanta and handed it to the other family’s kid.

Then told hers: “Only well-behaved kids get treats.”

If you won’t go to school, get to working

This happened to many of you. A friend once told me that when he was in Form 2, he decided he wasn’t going to school anymore. He was done. He was tired.

His grandfather- who was the family’s breadwinner told him that if he didn’t go to school, he'd have to find a job.

He had to wake up early enough to make the farm’s deliveries, had to make his own meals during the day (he couldn’t cook), and was given back-breaking work by the farm hand. He only lasted two days before he begged to resume schooling.

Write a 500-word essay

I came across a story where a child was punished by his father through essay writing.

His father was a literature professor and he had a penchant for such punishments. When he was caught lying, he was told to write a 500-word essay about five unsuccessful and famous liars.

Another time he was caught playing in the rain and he had to write an article about 5 water-borne diseases. All without the use of the internet or asking anyone for assistance. He had to do it all by himself.