Good Punishments for Teenagers Who Sneak Out

Sneaking out might be a common teen transgression, but that doesn't mean it should go unpunished. If a teen is sneaking out at night, it's likely that he's engaging in a behavior that's dangerous. According to HealthyChildren.org, the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should aim to match the severity of the punishment with the severity of the deed. Thus, a teen who was caught drinking might receive a harsher punishment than one who was just hanging out with friends.

  1. Extra Responsibilities

    • Sneaking out showed a lack of responsibility on the part of your teen and it may have shattered your trust in him. He needs to work harder to show you that he truly is responsible. To do this, you might assign him extra chores that he'll have to do for awhile. This might be something small, but ongoing, such as daily dishwashing duty, or it could be a bigger chore, like taking regular care of the yard or cleaning the garage.

    Taking Away Privileges

    • Your teen might, on the other hand, respond better if you take away his privileges. If he snuck out to meet some friends, for example, taking away his cell phone and computer might limit his contact with those friends. You might also take away his week's allowance. You could also refuse to let him borrow the car.

    Grounding

    • Keeping your teen at home may also serve as a punishment. The only places you'll allow him to go are school, home and work. According to HealthyChildren.org, short-term punishments work best for teens, so it's more appropriate to ground him for a week or two, rather than "until the end of the school year." A longer punishment might cause him to build up resentment and act out in other ways.

    Alarms

    • If your child has repeatedly broken your rules to sneak out, it may be time to implement more drastic measures. You might put an alarm on his windows or door. This is embarrassing for him, as it takes away some of his privacy. Once he's earned your trust again, you can remove the alarms.

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