How do you make groundings effective? We have a 15 year old daughter. We usually take away phone and computer privileges when she is grounded. After a while it became obvious she was just lazing around and using the weekend to recharge her batteries.
We started giving chores but the thing that worked best was when my wife made her write an essay over the weekend.
Would be interested in how other parents make groundings work.

I like the essay idea! did she whine the whole time while doing it? thats what my daughter would do and make my weekend miserable! see my message "daughter has no ambition"
Jennifer

Yes, she complained a lot. She thought she was going to get away with writing a couple of sides but my wife had other ideas. She set our daughter a set number of words to be completed by the Sunday evening.

I HAVE GONE AS FAR AS MAKING MY SON TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF THE ROOM AND PUT IT IN THE LOCKED CLOSET IN THE BASEMENT. WHEN THEY GET TIRED OF TAKING EVERYTHING OUT AND THEN HAVING TO PUT IT BACK THE BEHAVIOR DECREASES. THE ESSAY THING IS GOOD WHEN APPROPRIATE. IF SHE IS WRITING ESSAYS AND THEN HAVING TO DO THEM IN SCHOOL IT TAKES THE EFFECT AWAY FROM IT. I USE COMMUNITY SERVICE AS ONE. LIKE GOING TO A HORSE BARN AND ASKING IF THEY NEED HELP THEN MY SON HAS TO CLEAN SOME STALLS. BUT I ALSO USE IT AS A GOOD THING TOO LIKE MAKING THANKSGIVING DAY BASKETS FOR THE NEEDY.I USE THIS ONE NOT WHEN HE DOES SOMETHING WRONG BUT AS A SUGGESTION . SOMETIMES HE EVEN INITIATES THE COMM SERV. IT HAS TO BE BALANCED. I NEVER WANT HIM TO THINK COMMUNITY SERVICE OR HELPING PEOPLE IS A PUNISHMENT. SO THE PUNISHMENT FITS THE CRIME.