Personally, having been made to do the essay thing, I don't like that suggestion. Not, however, because it was annoying or anything like that. Rather, I did it, gave it to my parents, and didn't think about it every again. It wasn't a punishment in any sense, at least not for me.
I'd be much more apt (if/when I have rugrats/mini-me's of my own) to tell them that I was disappointed in the way they acted... That's what motivated me most when I screwed up at home: my parents' disappointment.
Good luck buffering...
