Time Out Not Working?

The naughty corner, a phrase coined by the TV reality show Supernanny, is what most of us call time-out. It's a private, specific location where a child briefly stays to think about his misbehavior while calming down.

When used consistently, time-out can extinguish inappropriate or misbehavior. A concern I have is, that a child understands it's his behavior that's naughty, not him as a person. Say, "You need to sit in time-out for your behavior," rather than, "You need to sit in time-out because you are naughty."

Time-out can begin as early as 2 years old - when the child begins to understand the concept of "wait." You can utilize the "time out" discipline technique for children as mature as 10 years.

If you've tried time-out only to find it unsuccessful, try again and remember to:

* Keep the location free of distraction or entertainment
* Maintain a calm and firm attitude
* Eliminate other stimulation like TV, radio, or bright lights
* Release your child when you see self-calming skills
* Forgive and move on, no lecture or reprimands afterward

What do you think? Leave your comment or questions.
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