Dad Punishes Son, 11, by Making Him Play On Phone Unceasingly for 17 Hours without Sleep

A father resorted to drastic measures against his son after he saw him playing video games in the early morning hours. He chose an unconventional parenting technique to punish the kid and monitored him throughout so he wouldn't budge.

Children can be quite a handful for parents sometimes. With the advent of the internet and digital technological tools, keeping kids in check can be daunting. Many parents face the dilemma of tracking their children's screen time and trying their best to reduce it.

Parenting styles can vary across countries, regions, and cultures, but one element remains constant—all parents wish to inculcate good values in their young ones. However, some moms and dads can take things to a whole different level when teaching kids a lesson.

Catching His Boy & Using an Unusual Approach

A similar scenario played out in today's story, where things took a somewhat unusual turn for one father-son duo. Their incredibly shocking story gained traction on social media, dividing the online community and attracting a slew of mixed views.

It was reported that he was wide awake and active even until 7:30 a.m.

On March 8, 2023, a father was taken aback when he found his son using his mobile phone in the wee hours of the morning. It was reported that the boy was playing video games in secrecy at about 1:30 a.m.—an hour when he was supposed to be in bed and sound asleep.

The boy's father, who was surnamed Huang, was determined to do something about it, and he did. Instead of lashing out at his son and taking away the cell phone, he chose an entirely different approach.

Mr. Huang walked over to his boy, pulled him out of bed, and told him he could keep playing the game. However, there was a catch. He told the youngster he was free to use the phone on one condition—he wasn't allowed to sleep a wink!

The Punishment

The 11-year-old boy failed to comprehend the consequences of his dad's condition and was more excited about playing the game. And so, he was happy that he wouldn't have to put the phone away or hide to keep himself entertained.

After Mr. Huang's boy agreed to his condition, that morning, the father called his son's school teacher and requested a day off. Meanwhile, the youngster continued to enjoy his mobile game with increased zeal and enthusiasm.

It was reported that he was wide awake and active even until 7:30 a.m. But by 1:30 pm. after having played non-stop for 12 hours, the boy was so drained that he unintentionally dozed off. At that point, his dad quickly woke him up and reminded him about the condition.

A Touching Note & Begging for Forgiveness

Eventually, after playing unceasingly for 17 hours, the boy was done for the day and felt he couldn't go on any further. Physically, mentally, and emotionally drained, he mustered up the courage to call a truce with his father. It finally dawned on him why his dad had allowed him to keep playing the video game for so long.

With an exhausted mind and body and a weary soul, the young boy translated his unlikely experience into a handwritten English note. In the touching letter, he wrote how his dad walked in on him using his phone late at night and decided to penalize him. "[He] let me play enough. Play until vomit," added the tired boy.

The boy also noted how he fell asleep multiple times but was woken up, and the drill went on from 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 17 hours. The boy concluded his letter with a promise not to play video games late at night.

Per sources, Mr. Huang's teary-eyed son pleaded for forgiveness and vowed to decrease his playing time. He also promised to refrain from using the mobile phone during sleeping hours. Mr. Huang was said to have forgiven his son and called off the punishment afterward.

Capturing the Incident & the Dad's Reaction

The unusual incident occurred in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Mr. Huang captured the moments, which showed his exhausted boy feeling drowsy in his pajamas and being woken up repeatedly, even when he was on the brink of falling from his chair.

The Chinese dad posted the clip on Douyin, a TikTok-like platform popular in his country. While he said the method worked for his kid, he advised other parents not to use it.

He also revealed that his son was a well-behaved and studious child and usually complied with his orders. The Shenzhen resident shared that his boy accompanied him outdoors and was physically active.

Garnering Mixed Views Online

Mr. Huang's unconventional way of teaching his son a lesson garnered mixed views online. While some netizens supported his method, others were skeptical. Let's take a look at a few comments of support and opposition:

"It worked so I'm not mad. Would not work for my kid he would be thrilled lol (sic)."

— (@savannah.ramsey.583) March 18, 2023

"Best punishment ever lol (sic)."

— (@matt.rojo.90) March 18, 2023

"modern problem needs modern solution (sic)."

— (@nayzar.aung.31) March 17, 2023

"Teaching your kids with sleep deprivation is something I will try when I have to."

— (@qmanhbeo) March 18, 2023

"This father went too far with that punishment for 17 hours straight. He could have made him write this 100 times twice a day.. I will not do it again."

— (@joeann.dormand) March 18, 2023

"That's emotional and physical deprivation...no child should suffer this, just take the charger away for a few days (sic)."

— (@nenos.kako) March 18, 2023

"That's just sick just take phone away at bedtime (sic)."

— (@jean.mills.146) March 18, 2023

Do you approve of the father's method of teaching his son a lesson? Please share your answers in the comments section on Facebook.

Click here to read about a couple who forced their child to watch TV all night as a punishment, denying him a second of sleep.