Digital grounding(限制)is when parents or caregivers limit or completely take away access to technology from children. According to a study conducted by Pew Research, 65% of parents have digitally grounded their teen by taking away their teen’s cellphone or Internet access as punishment.
Because children are so connected with their technologies, digital grounding may seem like a logical step for parents. Take away a child’s most cherished item and they will quickly learn from their behavior. But the idea of digital grounding isn’t as clear-cut as that. Instead, it may be a lose-lose situation for parents and kids, alike.
For most parents, the goal of grounding isn’t to make their children unhappy or sad. It is to teach a lesson in the hope that they won’t engage in whatever behavior got them in trouble in the first place. Unfortunately, though, digital grounding is often just punishment, not discipline. If a child stays out past curfew(约定的最晚回家时间), a punishment would be hitting or yelling at them. Discipline would be not letting them go out the next weekend because they failed to follow rules.
We’ve all been there—we’ve caught our child doing something wrong and in the heat of the moment laid out a strict punishment. We may have been feeling hot-headed, embarrassed, or upset. Often, though, these punishments don’t align(结盟)with the bad behavior.
While digital grounding may solve the problem temporarily, it won’t provide children with the guidance they need to act appropriately in the future. Instead of grounding, show your child what they did wrong and give them the chance to act differently. This way, they will learn from their mistakes in a practical manner and figure out ways to be safe and smart with technology.
There’s no denying it: technology is here for the long-haul. This is why some parenting experts don’t recommend digitally grounding your children. It doesn’t focus on the end goal of safe behavior. They recommend teaching them good habits as soon as possible, rather than taking away their technology. By digitally grounding them, you are putting a bandage over the wound, rather than treating it.
Now, when we say that digital grounding is a lose-lose situation, we’re not saying that disciplining your children in general is a lose-lose situation. Discipline is a great way to teach children lessons, when used appropriately.
12. Which of the following is a proper form of discipline according to the author?
A.Hitting or yelling at children. |
B.Laying out a strict punishment in the heat of the moment. |
C.Taking away access to cellphones from children completely. |
D.Forbidding kids to go out the next weekend if they stay out past curfew. |
13. What does the author think of digital grounding?
A.It benefits children a great deal. |
B.It is no better than disciplining. |
C.Parents can use it to correct kids’ behavior. |
D.Neither parents nor children gain benefits from it. |
14. What does the author suggest parents do instead of grounding?
A.Give kids more free time. | B.Help kids form good habits. |
C.Act appropriately in public. | D.Put a bandage over the wound. |
15. What’s the purpose of the text?
A.To inform us of ways of punishing kids. |
B.To explain what digital grounding means. |
C.To show how to parent children in digital times. |
D.To prove digital grounding is not a good parenting way. |