Making kids pick their own punishments

Has anyone ever understood this? Have you ever been made to pick your own punishment as a child by an adult?

I remember being in 8th grade and my resource room teacher talked to me about a behavior I did and asked me what should happen to me.

Why do adults sometimes make kids pick their own punishments for something they did wrong? What is the logic behind it? Wouldn't the kid just pick the easiest Punishment or something they feel that isn't a punishment?

For in case anyone is curious what I picked, I picked lunch detention and it didn't really matter since you eat in the classroom with the teacher and how was that even a punishment was beyond me. Now as an adult it dawned on me that it's a punishment because it keeps you from socializing with your friends and peers and I didn't really care for that as a child and I had troubles fitting in anyway and it wasn't something I was good at anyway so this was barely even a consequence for me. Plus I didn't care for the playground. So I had picked the easiest punishment.

I guess the pick your punishment concept really only works in the minds of frazzled adults lol...

I seriously thought it was just me that didn't understand this. And yep, always took the easiest punishment offered.

Argent said:

I guess the pick your punishment concept really only works in the minds of frazzled adults lol...

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What does this mean?

Argent said:

I guess the pick your punishment concept really only works in the minds of frazzled adults lol...

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:iagree: :yes:

I don't understand it either.
If I were in that situation I'd definitely choose the easiest choice too.

Calico said:

What does this mean?

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It means as a parent when you are extremely exhausted and completely flabbergasted about whatever your munchkin has done sometimes your think you are being clever by giving your child a choice but still punishing them but in reality you just don't know what to do lol.

Now where did the instruction manual for the middle child go?

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Sheepies said:

I don't understand it either.
If I were in that situation I'd definitely choose the easiest choice too.

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Lol yes parents can make really poor choices and easily be tricked.

If I had a choice as a kid it most likely wouldn't have been the belt.

Choosing your punishment seems to make no sense, but then...

If I was given that choice back then, in my head I would be like "What the fuck, mom, are you loosing your mind?" and the fear of her becoming mentally unbalanced over my behavior would provide incentive for me to improve.

See? It could work.
(when confronted with an illogical situation it helps to have a twisted mind)

In my story, my character picks a spanking but her dad tells her she is far too old for spankings.

Letting kids pick their punishments is only useful if you give them 2 options and they pick one, but you give them the other. That way you give them the punishment they hate the most. That's what my parents did until I figured out their scheme. They would say: lose tv or lose computer. I would pick tv and they would be like nope.

That sounds kinky, Calico. I like it!

Your parents sound kind of diabolical, Goodnites.:smile:

extra pudding is a killer.

I remember when I was in middle school, and I would get into trouble... a lot. Eventually the principal gave me 2 choices: get expelled from all schools or spend 3 months in an alternative school. I chose the 3-month option, and once it was over, I quit being a troublemaker and graduated years later.