Journal #5

      Today there are many pieces of technology that affect our lives as teenagers. Many parents think that a good punishment is to take these things away, or limit these things. I am torn on this kind of punishment because I personally have never experienced this kind of thing. When I think about a punishment I think of chores . My parents used chores to punish my brother and I, when we got into trouble for something. Taking away technology can be a good or bad thing. I believe if the reason you are getting in trouble is due to the piece of technology, then it is okay to take them away. If the reason is something else, like smarting back to your parents, or lying, then I do not think that taking away technology or social media devices is the right kind of punishment to use. Kids and teenagers will most likely find a way around this type of punishment, without their parents even knowing. Chores as a punishment is something that can be easily seen that it is complete. No kid really enjoys chores, therefore the next time they think about doing something, they will think about the chores they may have to do. There is also a personal space issue that come with taking away or monitoring these things. I believe that parents should not look at their kids phone unless there is a specific concern they have. Facebook is a different story. They should be able to check that they are not posting anything inappropriate, but should not look at all their conversations and  messages. I think that the majority of teens that have these social media devices are careful with them and know the risks. Their parents can most likely tell is their child has an issue with these type of things, and can handle that as they see fit. Punishment varies for parent, child, and reason, so all punishments are different and the parent has to figure out what works best.