His grades are not very good and all he wants to do is hang out with his friends and play video games. When it comes to schoolwork, he has a very short attention span. However, he can spend hours playing video games or surfing the Internet. Many, if not most, adolescents are more interested in being with their friends than engaging in productive activities.
Motivation often goes down as interest in friends, sports and the opposite sex increases.
You re suggesting that punishment might be an effective motivational tool. In fact, sometimes young people will work harder to avoid punishment. However, there could be a better way. Let s clarify a couple of things first. These are not harsh discipline methods unless they are used too often or invoked in a harsh way, for instance, by grounding a teen to his room for weeks at a time.