by JennM

Created on: July 10, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

The great time-out method....an alternative to spanking. I, personally, have found the time-out method to not work so well with my children but for others it works well. If time-out works on a child then great...and if it doesn't...then don't get discouraged their are other ways of discipline that might better suit you and your child.

Basically, from what I hear from all the "experts" on television and in books is that a child should be put in time-out according to his/her age. For example, if the child is three years old then he/she should be in time-out for three minutes. Minutes are increased as the child gets older. This might work great for some parents and children. However, I have found that those three minutes end up turning into about twenty because my child will not stay seated where I put him. Every time a child gets up the time is supposed to start over. Well....my child gets up about every fifteen seconds...so.....you can see where this is going.

I wish my child could be disciplined with the time-out method. It seems like such a more pleasant way of discipline versus spanking, yelling, or bribing your child to behave. The time-out method is used to enforce rules without punishing your child with other harsh techniques that are basically teaching the child worse behaviors. Spanking can teach the child to hit, yelling can teach them to yell, and so forth. Having the child set in a designated spot for a specific time where the child is not allowed to play with toys, talk, or watch television is a more positive discipline.

The designated spot for a time-out should be a particular chair, corner, or step to sit on. It should not ever be the child's room for two reasons. First, the child's room should be a place for the child to relax, play, and go to sleep. If they associate their room with being put in time-out, they might not want to go into their room and instead want to drag all their toys into the rest of the house or not want to stay in their bed at night. Second, most kids are likely to have their toys in their rooms or even a television. Sending them to time-out in their room will just allow them to play with their toys or watch t.v. instead of feeling like a punishment.

If the time-out method is not working on your child, give yourself a time-out. Walk away. Go into your bedroom or bathroom and give yourself a few minutes to calm down and think of an alternative plan of discipline. Doing this will keep you from yelling or spanking your child out of frustration and will allow you the time to actually think through what you are going to do in order to get your child to behave without making yourself feel guilty.

Learn more about this author, JennM.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.