Originally Posted by Angelsj:
Example:
Let's say the 12-14 yo is getting mouthy with mom, not wanting to do his homework, or just all around moody and uncooperative. Hmmm... See that fire-pit? Dad says it needs to be moved over here. See that pile of wood? I need it all stacked right here...
It isn't so much punishment, as an outlet for their aggression and feelings. Most of the time, they feel a lot better after a good workout, per se.
My DH wasn't a "trouble" kid, but he did talk back to his parents a lot when he was around 8 or 9 ... they lived on a large two acre lot with a a quarter of it being taken up by corn field. If he started having an attitude toward his mom (totally untolerated with his dad), his dad would bring him the wagon and tell him to go fill it up with all the rocks he could find in the corn field ... it would sit by the back door. THen, the next time he got in trouble, his "job" would be to go put all the rocks back. And this would go back and forth and back and forth until the lesson was learned.