is this a strict enough punishment for their persistent lateness??

[hatesponge]

DS1 is 13 and DS2 10 (years 6 and 9 respectively).

They need to leave for school in the morning at 8.15. DS1 starts school at 8.35. His school is a 10 minute walk from our house. DS2 starts school at 9, but can go in any time after about 8.40. His school is a 25 minute walk in the opposite direction. They leave together, DS1 walks 5-10 mins towards DS2's school with him, then turns back and walks to his school. If they leave on time they should never be late.

I have to leave for work at 7.30 (I used to leave at 7.50, but my manager was 'unhappy' at me getting in just on the dot of 9, so now I have to get the earlier train...). Before I leave, I make sure both boys are up & awake, and either dressed or getting dressed. I phone them en route to check they are ready/leaving etc.

Notwithstanding the above, and them telling me each morning at 8.15 they have left, where they are on the road etc, I have just found out today they have been late every day since last Weds. DS1 has been late 14 times this term.

I will now be removing their Xboxes until further notice, and putting them to bed by 9pm (even though I know DS1 will not sleep). If I can find another phone around the house which uses DS1's sim, I will make him hand over his Blackberry as well. They don't go out often at weekends, so grounding them makes little difference - and I don't give them any pocket money so nothing to cut there. Is this enough? Should I do more - if so what?

It's not just them being late for no reason - its the lying that they're leaving the house/on their way that really irks me.

We had an issue with lateness before Xmas - I took the Xbox away for a weekend, and the next couple of weeks up to the end of term they were on time every day. So it does seem to work short term anyway...

What is the next level you can go to? have school pulled them and invoked detention or whatever. there is so much you can do but at that age and those distances, it is not beyond their capabilities. They should be able to do this without lateness.

That sounds perfectly fair to me

If the punishment works, use it

Sounds fair.

Does the 10 yr old need walking to school?

Is that what is making the 13yr old late?

Tell them that if they can't be trusted to get themselves off to school on time, they are clearly not ready to be left alone, so you are going to be employing a childminder to take them to school...

If they are late one more time...

I think my real worry is what if this doesn't work, I really wouldn't know what else to do.

DS2's school don't give detentions because it's only a primary; DS1's school is not the best, and rarely enforces any punishment for lateness because so many of the pupils turn up late they'd end up giving detentions to half the school.

DS1 definitely only walks part of the way with DS2, he is too lazy to even consider walking the whole way with him so I know that won't be a reason for lateness. and DS2 is happy enough walking on his own, it's one very long straight road.

JustHecate you might be onto something there. DS1 would literally die of shame if he had someone walking him to the school gate....

And if that doesn't work, it's time to bring out the Big Guns

Walk them yourself, and tell them you love them in front of all their mates before spitting on your hanky and wiping their faces...

Yes my auntie used to employ an aupair but stopped on the condition that the children take care of everything. They are never late/ make a mess as they know they will have to have an aupair again :D

Are they actually leaving on time?

If not, could you set an alarm clock before you go?

They know what time to leave - I ring them at 8am, 8.15 etc to remind them of the time and they lie and tell me they are ready/have left

They are both in bed now (very resentfully). Just can't seem to get them to care about being late, DS1 in particular doesn't seem to think it matters...