Grounding (punishment)
Grounding is a form of punishment given to older children, preadolescents or adolescents by their parents (or teachers or headmasters in a school setting) for misbehavior.
Typically, a young person who is grounded is forbidden from leaving home or his/her room to go anywhere other than to attend required activities such as meals, school, church, work, music practice, etc. Grounding does not mean people are unable to come over, only going out is prohibited. It might be combined with the withdrawal of privileges such as the use of television, telephone, computer, Internet, etc, or even being sent to bed early.[citation needed] Some groundings can last from as short as a day to as long as a month or year, while some last an indefinite amount of time. The uncertainty makes it difficult for the person to cope, which in some cases can make the punishment more effective. For some children and teenagers, grounding can backfire easily, encouraging misbehavior in the form of rebellion against their parents. Grounding can be a punishment that substitutes spanking or time-outs, as those punishments are designed more for younger children, usually aged 2-5.
The term most likely orginated in the aviation community. When an aviator is restricted from flying due to misconduct, illness, or other reasons they are said to be "grounded."
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