How to Use The Time Out Method Effectively

A child in timeout should have time to think about her actions.

The Time Out Method to discipline a misbehaving child can work wonderfully for a parent who uses it effectively. The point of timeout is to remove the child from a situation for a long enough period for the child to calm down and reflect on his actions. It only works if the parent is consistent and the child is left alone during the timeout.

Things You'll Need

• Patience
• Discipline
• Consistency

Instructions

1. Designate a spot for timeout where the child is unable to entertain herself. It can be a chair in a corner that faces out, or the bottom step of a staircase. Explain to the child what timeout is and that if she behaves poorly she will have to go to this place.

2. Give the misbehaving child one warning before ordering him to the timeout place. Do not give more than one warning or the child will not pay heed to the threat.

3. If the child repeats the bad behavior after the warning, direct him to the timeout place. Explain calmly (without yelling) exactly why he is going there.

4. Keep the child in the chair for one minute per her age. For example, a 5-year-old should sit for five minutes while a 10-year-old should sit for 10 minutes. This rule might need to change slightly for very young children since two minutes is a very long time for a 2-year-old to be still and quiet. However you decide to do it, be consistent. If you prefer, use a timer for the timeout session.

5. When the timeout ends, briefly explain again to the child why the timeout was necessary before allowing the child to resume her activities. Look for some good action the child takes and reward her. This will help the child associate bad behavior with timeout and good behavior with a reward.

Tips & Warnings

• Always follow through after the first warning of going into Time Out. Again, this is very important. Your child needs to know that after you have warned them that first time that they will definitely be going into that chair if they repeat the behavior again. If consistently followed through, they will start rethinking their behavior immediately knowing what the consequence is going to be.

References

• Family Doctor: Child Behavior