Parenting Teens - I need opinions, quick!

[Riverfront Headmistress]

Grrr...I'm so aggravated at my 15 year old at the moment. I have a rule. She broke the rule. I found out, we had a discussion. Well, she did it again. True disobedience.

For those of you that aren't following my journey, my 15 year old is a foreign exchange student. I'm going to ground her for her disobedience - with my (younger) kids grounding means no tv, internet, or going with friends. I know that taking away the internet and tv will be devasting for her. Here's the problem: she doesn't go out often, and has been invited to an "American party" of Saturday. On one hand I grounding is grounding - on the other hand, I think if I take away the party is will lessen the American experience.

What say you?

[Annie G]

Your rules are your rules. In our house, we just don't ground kids from everything. We find their currency and use that. Grounding them from everything at once leaves no room for them to get into further trouble if they misbehave while they are grounded. We just take one thing away at a time, just in case they continue to act like toddlers.
But I gotta ask...what did she do???

[Claire]

How long is the grounding for? I think it's enough to take away tv and internet, and would let her go to the party. That is our normal definition of grounding around here anyway, as social activities have a value to them that tv and internet do not.

[Cadam]

I would ground her from electronic media and inform her that if it happens again the party is gone too.

[gardenschooler]

I might let her go to the American party, and instead of grounding her from that, ground her from electronics and give her some chores to do as punishment.

[Amy in Orlando]

We usually don't "ground" the boys here - simply because I end up feeling like the one being punished. Like Annie said, find their currency and use it.

I wouldn't make her miss the party.

[Riverfront Headmistress]

Thanks. I did end up taking away the internet for 1 week and she will be allowed to attend the party.