Naughty step heads towards extinction as punishment becomes hi-tech

Gone are the days of the naughty step or being denied dessert, badly-behaved children are now punished with internet embargoes, according to a poll.

Almost half of parents (45 per cent) said they deny their children wi-fi or confiscate their mobile phones as a punishment instead of grounding them.

The poll reveals how technology has transformed modern families, with almost two-thirds saying they have been forced to ban mobile phones from the dinner table during Sunday lunch.

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And a third of people admit that they no longer send traditional thank-you notes by post but convey their gratitude digitally using text or emails.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults, released to mark the launch of TV channel Gold’s new comedy You, Me & Them, also highlighted regional differences in technology use – with just 5 per cent of people in the south west saying that they send digital thank-yous compared to 46 per cent of Londoners.

It also suggests that children’s tasks around the house have changed with adapting technology, as one in 10 are regularly required to remove the predictive text from their parents’ phones or offer advice on how to find information online.

“Modern family life brings with it a whole new etiquette,” said Gold’s general manager Steve North.