Are you stressed out with your child pushing your boundaries over and over again? Sometimes it feels as if you are always in a child discipline’ battle field, and you just want to win the war! It’s so easy to get frustrated and feel like giving up I know because I have been there.
I discovered when I preplanned my discipline strategies ahead of the battles it really reduced my frustration. It enabled me not to get to the stage of my hot buttons being pushed. Establishing child discipline strategies early on in parenting can stop situations becoming volatile and set a routine to be followed.
One powerful way of disciplining difficult children is to use the ‘time out’ method. In fact, the time out method can work with children as young as 18 to 24 months old.
By using time out as a form of child discipline, parents give the child time to sit quietly and be by themselves after misbehaving. It is important to do this before the parent gets to the point of becoming riled up or exasperated with the child.
This article explains how to use the ‘time out’method as part of child discipline
How to Enforce the Time Out
Before implementing the time out system as a consequence of misbehavior, decide upon an appropriate place in the house where the child can be on their own and not able to interact with others. Some possible areas could be on the kitchen
floor or a special chair that you keep especially for timeouts, or even corner in their bedroom or a hall way.
The length of time for time outs needs to be age appropriate. Usually one minute for each year of the child’s life is a good . Be sure to keep a record of how long the child has been in the time out position using the kitchen timer or a clock.
When to use Time out
The time out system needs to be used on occasions when the child understands that they need to complete certain tasks, or to stop a certain unacceptable behavior. First the child should be asked firmly and pleasantly to stop the behavior or complete the task. If after the warning about the behavior, the misbehavior still continues, then the time out consequence can be used.
How to use ‘time out’
Take the child to the designated time out area and explain exactly why they are being sent there. Keep calm but firm tone when speaking to them. After they have spent their designated time in that time out location, discuss with the child why they were sent there and make it clear that if they continue to use that behavior they will be sent to time out again . If the child leaves the timeout location before the time is up he or she needs to be made aware that a consequence will mean losing certain privileges. With older children after a time out and a subsequent discussion, the child should then agree to do what they were told to do or to stop the inappropriate behavior.
Time outs can be very effective in the home environment, but they can also be used outside of the home. Parents can use time out in grocery stores, restaurants, or when visiting another home. However it’s important to emphasize to the child that you will enforce a time out should misbehavior occur while you are out. It is equally important to be consistent and to follow through with time out should they misbehaved. If you don’t, your child is quick to understand your own inconsistency and will be very likely to test your boundaries to the limits, especially when other people are present.
The time out systemis one of several effective child discipline methods that can be used. Many parents have struggled finding methods that work for their children. If you relate to this article I encourage you to find some child discipline help.