Question of the Day: Is Taking Away Gadgets an Effective Form of Punishment?
Here is a question for all the parents and troublemaking kids out there. Is taking away favourite gadgets an effective form of punishment? I ask because an amusing story about a stoner having his Xbox 360 confiscated by police today reminded me, in a strange sort of way, about the tragic story of a 15-year old who recently died after running away from home. That case also centreed around the confiscation of an Xbox 360. Obviously, the latter incident proves that this tactic can backfire in a big way—but again, in your experience, has it proven effective?
Results from “Do You Leave Your Game Console Running?“
Yes 6%
Yes, I leave it on standby 12%
Yes, but I’m running Folding@Home 3%
No 76%
Other 2%
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
The Nintendo DS is the only thing that will get the full and undivided attention of my 11 year old. The threat of having it taken away is usually sufficient to get his focus onto whatever task he is supposed to have done, but hasn’t.
I’m not entirely sure, however, if the existence of the Nintendo DS isn’t the cause of him losing focus on the things he is supposed to do in the first place though.
In which case it’s all really a zero-sum gain.
I recently banned the Xbox 360 for a month for repeated behaviour problems. I then bought my son SW: Force Unleashed for his birthday (a title he’d been drooling for), and he can’t play it until the ban is lifted. That has proven most effective (though my wife continues to call me a sadist).