How to Discipline Your Child With Timeout

Timeouts can help children learn.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are three components to good discipline: a relation between parent(s) and child that is loving and supportive, reinforcement of desired behavior and punishment of unwanted behavior. Timeouts can be effective punishments, but must be used wisely.

Things You'll Need

• Timer

Instructions

1. Set up a place for timeouts. This can be a small chair, a rug or a sticker on the wall behind the place where the child will go. Try to keep the timeout in the same location. If you need to move the place, use the same chair or rug. Avoid using every day furniture for timeouts, like the couch or dining room chairs

2. Don't use timeouts as your only disciplinary tactic. Use them when your child needs to be removed from a situation in which he is showing undesired behavior. The key word is "remove." Use timeouts when a child needs a break or alone time even if it is from his own emotion.

3. Purchase a timer and keep to a certain disciplinary time limit. It is recommended that a child spend one minute in a timeout for every year of her age. For example, a 5-year-old would spend five minutes in a timeout.

4. Tell the child he needs a timeout and escort him to the place. Tell him why he is being put in timeout and set the timer. If he cries or yells, allow it. If he leaves the timeout place, calmly escort him back. Do this as many times as it takes.

5. Remind her why she was in timeout after it is over and ask her apologize if it is in order. If you are still struggling with a child who removes herself from a timeout, either reset the timer every time you return the child to timeout or let her know it's OK because -- and only because -- the timer indicates that the timeout is finished. Age is the best way to decide which method to use: The older a child is, the more capable she is of understanding time.

References

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Guidance for Effective Discipline