How to Enjoy Being Grounded

Author Info

Last Updated: November 26, 2025

Being grounded isn't the end of the world. It can, believe it or not, actually be fun. It's possible to enjoy it as long as you approach it with the right attitude.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Having Fun

Download Article

This probably sounds obvious, but don't go out of your way to violate the rules or conditions of your being grounded. Don't take back your phone if it was taken away, or go out if you aren't allowed to. After all, you don't want to have your grounding extended!
You probably have a lot of time on your hands for the next week or so, so utilize at least some of that time to catch up on your homework. Doing your homework is a good way to pass the time and show responsibility to your parents (possibly helping you get ungrounded faster), and it is something you probably have to do anyway, so do it!

Advertisement
If you have found your room to be a bit of a mess in recent times, you should use your time grounded to at least partially clean it. It might surprise you how much time you can pass by cleaning your room. Again, this shows responsibility to your parents, possibly helping reduce your grounding length.
4
Read a book. If you had your electronics confiscated, reading a book is probably the next best alternative. This may sound boring and outdated at first, but reading a book can make the time fly by, provided you find the correct book. Before you know it, your grounding will be over!
- If you have a series of books, such as Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, you might have enough books to last several weeks beyond your grounding!
If you haven't been banned from your electronics, take some time to speak to some of your friends. Have them update you on any drama you missed, and you can tell them why you haven't been able to go out, etc. Again, you should only do this if you are allowed to.
If you would normally be spending away in shops after school or buying new video games every other day, you can use being grounded as an excuse to save some money. Even if you get your allowance taken away, you can still be saving money by not spending it, so you will have some more money on your hands when you get ungrounded.
If you have some gym equipment, or if you are allowed to go out still, get some exercise! Go for a run, lift some weights, or go to the gym. You want to stay in shape while you are grounded, after all, and this is a strong opportunity to do such.
If you have some board games and a sibling or a friend to play with, board games could easily take up several hours of your day, while giving you something to enjoy and someone to socialise with. Monopoly is a classic yet popular option that can easily take up 2 or 3 hours per game.
If you are lucky enough not to have had your TV privileges removed, watch some TV! You can spend hours channel-surfing, looking for something to watch. Just be careful not to spend too long watching TV, or your parents might make a problem out of it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Getting Ungrounded

Download Article

1
Follow the rules. The first step to having your punishment lifted is to follow the rules. Your parents are not going to want to lift your punishment if they think you haven't learnt anything, so follow all the rules! Do your chores, get the grades that are expected of you, respect your family, stay out of trouble at school, and follow any other rules that might be in place.
- If you feel that a rule is unfair (Your brother can hit you, but you can't hit back, for example), instead of rebelling, calmly explain to your parents why you feel the rule is unfair in a respectful way.
2
Apologize. The first thing you should say to your parents when you start your journey to freedom is a simple to meaningful apology. Acknowledge that you are aware that what you did was wrong, and that you are truly sorry for it.
- Don't just apologize because you want to be ungrounded; your parents will see right through it.
3
Fix your mistake. If you want to prove you have learnt from your mistake, go above and beyond and fix it if you can. If you kicked a hole in the wall, help fix it. If you were mean to a sibling, make amends and get them a small gift. If you got a detention for being late, make it a point to be on time to class. Fixing your mistake shows that you are taking accountability for your actions and will help you get ungrounded.
4
Get back on your parents' good side. You can accomplish this with a combination of the above two steps, having meaningful conversations with them, and showing respect. The sooner you get back on their good side, the faster you might get ungrounded.
This one may sound a little obvious, but it goes without saying that repeating the same mistake is a sure-fire way to show your parents that you don't deserve to be ungrounded.
You should learn how to control yourself to avoid yelling at your parents or falling into peer pressure, especially if these are how you got grounded. You could develop a "breath-in, breath-out" routine, where you slowly breathe in over 4 seconds, then hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale over 8 seconds. The 4-7-8 rule, as this is commonly called, is a common method for stress relief that many people utilize when they are stressed.
7
Avoid peer pressure. Commonplace among teenagers is peer pressure. Your friends might pressure you to smoke, drink, do drugs, or do something else that eventually ends with you getting in trouble. Learn to say no and not to fall for peer pressure, so next time, peer pressure won't be a problem.
Learn to resolve conflicts peacefully. If you were grounded because you got into a fight, you should learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully rather than violently. Stay away from people who get you into fights, and resolve conflicts peacefully when arguments do happen. Instead of punching somebody at school next time, talk to a teacher or the principal, and have them resolve the situation instead.
9
Ask to be ungrounded. Once you have done everything you wish to do before getting ungrounded, you should ask to be ungrounded. Wait for your parents to be in a good mood, and calmly state that you feel you should be ungrounded. Tell them that you have used the experience to learn from your mistakes and that you have learnt what you would do next time. Make sure you are respectful when asking, such as "Mum/Dad, I know I made a mistake, but I have learnt from it, so can I please be ungrounded?", instead of "Unground me or you will regret it!".
- It goes without saying that you shouldn't be asked to be ungrounded 15 minutes after being grounded. Wait a few days, at minimum, for everybody to calm down.
10
Wait it out. If your parents say no to being ungrounded early, it is probably best to wait out the sentence. After all, you don't want your parents to think that you learnt absolutely nothing. It may take a while, depending on what you did, but sometimes waiting it out is the best option you have.
- If your parents ground you "indefinitely", you should speak to a school counselor for advice, as depending on what you are grounded for, this is sometimes considered abuse.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

The trick to enjoying a grounding is to do things you love doing at home. Don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself; get active instead.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If your parents ban telecommunications (phone, internet, etc.), don't be too worried. You can write letters by hand, you can leave messages with friends at school to pass on, and you can spend the time writing very long emails to be sent when the grounding ends. You can also use the time to write in your journal; a good way to get out your angry feelings.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Some parents can view signs of enjoyment as a lack of being contrite about what you did to cause the grounding. Keep this in mind!

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Don't act hostile about grounding. Having a bad attitude might make them ground you longer!

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If being grounded means your parents limit or remove your right to food, water, and a place to sleep, this is abuse and should be reported.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Likewise, if groundings come with spankings, shamings, humiliation, etc, this is also abuse.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0