Haha! That last point "the thought of...". Not sure if that is a good thin? Not being rhetoric here, but actually wondering. Is it a penalty? And: I am very familiar with this phenomenon from the free school space. As an adult, what do you do, if a child did "misbehave" and when it comes to the point, where you want to adress it, you realize that he cannot stand the "standard procedure" you put in place? I guess its a problem of oberly elaborate "standard procedures"?
Discussion
I agree, the difference between a consequence and a penalty is a slim one and often depends on the accused’s viewpoint. I’m beginning to understand that we have a different set of standards about the world than kids, and a lot of the time they “get it” before we need to intervene or have a discussion.