DS1 (2 1/2) is very strong willed and independent. Needless to say having a new baby in the house is sending him crazy looking for attention. We're trying to ignore the bad and praise the good but it's having mixed results. My parents are staying with us from interstate to give us a much needed and appreciated helping hand, but my dad is insisting DS either needs a smack or to be put in his room for time out. Smacking is not something we want to do and we've heard time out in the bedroom can lead to issues wth going in there for sleep etc... how does everyone else do time out?
With DD1 we had a naughty spot in the hallway, just outside the toilet door. Boringest place in the house LOL. We only ever did a couple of minutes (back in the day they used to say one minute per year of age...but you wouldn't really start before about 2). It's supposed to be a last resort after distracting/redirecting, physically moving/excluding child within the room that you're in a couple of times first, etc... ie save the time outs for when the situation has escalated. It works best when it's your last resort.
We use a spot in our hallway too, everywhere else, including the bedroom has far too much stimulation etc. I usually follow a time out with, thankyou for sitting there so quietly now we can go and play lego, do drawing, etc together. We also tried and do the distract/ redirect etc first though, and something my MCHN taught me was to always deal with the injured first, so if DD hurt DS when he was little, I would comfort him give him a cuddle etc while ignoring her, and then deal with her, she learnt very quickly this wasnt the way to get my attention.
We have step in our hallway so yes my boys would be placed on the naughty step. I would set the timer on the microwave so I couldn't lose track of time and they would sit their for a minute for every year they are. e.g 3 year old 3 mins 4 years old 4 mins. I found this helped most of the time as it would be enough to stop them from the mood that they were in. And if they got of the step and went back to the bad behaviour they would go straight back on the step.
My SIL has the 'thinking chair' which is not in the main area of the house. They use it so that her DD4 can think about her behaviour and why she is there.
How do you do time out?
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