There was a time when being grounded meant handing over the car keys, not going out with friends or not watching television.

But these days, parents are apparently going straight for the cell phones.

A Pew Research Center study shows that 65 percent of parents it surveyed with 13 to 17-year-old teenagers said they “digitally grounded” their misbehaving kids — taking away cell phones or Internet privileges as punishment.

Victoria Black says she is digitally disciplining her son — and is planning to keep his cell phone for about two weeks.

“He just got caught up this morning. He’s like, ‘Oh I was on my phone so the bus left me.’ I snatched that phone and I almost cracked it,” she said.

Dr. Rahn Kennedy Bailey, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, says taking the phone away has benefits.

“I think it ensures that the parent maintains responsibility and control of the relationship between the parent and the child,” Bailey said.

However, Bailey also says parents should be cautious about taking away phones and consider if the situation calls for it — as they are good safety tools in terms of knowing children’s whereabouts.

“If one is actually doing well in school and involved in social activities, to do it arbitrarily is really not helpful,” he added.

Black says in the long-run, taking her son’s cell phone is for his good.

“I don’t want something from the past to hinder him from his future so I’m going to be stern and give him about two weeks,” she said.