You Gave Your Kids a Smart Phone? Know This.

What happened in this episode?

In this short Jocko Podcast episode, Jocko Willink and a guest discuss discipline, smartphones and gaming, and what they see as the difference between punishment and setting conditions for success. The guest argues that restricting a phone or videogames can be framed as reducing distraction rather than inflicting pain, while Willink says children sometimes need “course correction” but that large corrections often reflect earlier parental failures to make smaller adjustments.

They describe a practical example — a teenager repeatedly forgetting to take out the rubbish — to argue that reminders and an environment that supports success can be more effective than fear-based discipline. Willink then broadens the point into a values-and-identity approach: he says parents cannot be present during peer pressure situations, so children need an internalised identity (for example, “I don’t drink”) rather than compliance motivated by parental punishment (“my dad will kill me”). He compares this identity-and-reputation framework to military units, where he says a person’s self-concept and reputation can shape behaviour.

Willink also offers a personal reflection on mistakes he made as a parent, saying he sometimes imposed harsh punishments and later concluded they were often unnecessary. He recounts using “shunning” — refusing to speak or make eye contact — as a punishment that his children “hated”, and describes it as “awful”.

What are the key points?

• Speakers distinguish between removing phones/games to reduce distraction and taking them away as punishment.
• Willink says children’s need for major ‘course correction’ often reflects parental leadership failures earlier on.
• They argue reminders and supportive routines can be more effective than punishment for routine responsibilities.
• Willink says parents should aim to build a child’s identity so decisions hold under peer pressure.
• He links identity and reputation to behaviour in both family life and military settings.
• Willink recalls using ‘shunning’ as punishment and calls it ‘awful’, saying his children ‘hated it’.

Which topics are covered?

How is this page sourced?

Programme

Jocko Podcast

Published

18 August 2026

Duration

10m

Original episode

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