How would I successfully start my 22 month old on time outs?

Ginger - posted on 01/30/2012

I started time outs around 16 months old because she was biting me often. Everyone told me she was too young, but I tried it anyway, and she stopped biting after about 3 days of using time outs.



Anyway, to get started, you will need to sit her down in a quiet place with little distractions (I use our hallway), and sit down with her, explain why she is there and that her behavior is not acceptable. Obviously, you will explain all this in a way she will understand. Take all toys away, pacifier, sippies, anything that she enjoys. You want time outs to not be fun! Just sit with her and quietly talk to her about it for the 2 minutes, and then let her up. I do not start the timer until my daughter is sitting. But, most days, I still have to sit with her. Sometimes even have to make her sit on my lap. A few times, I've been able to walk away, and she sat by herself until I told her she could move.



Starting out, it is important to establish the habits of her time outs so she will know what to expect when you tell her she is about to get one if she doesn't stop! She'll probably understand in a very short amount of time what time outs are.



Good luck!

Laura - posted on 01/27/2012

my daughter is extremely headstrong so I've had to put timeouts into place for a few months now. If she's doing something she shouldn't, I try to distract her and get her doing something else. Sadly she hits from time to time and I will not tolerate hitting! I try to distract her the first time, then if she does it again, I give her a warning that if she does it again, she'll have to go onto the naughty spot. If she does it again, I take her to a boring spot in the house and tell her that she's there because she hit mummy and we don't hit. She then stays for 1 minute per her age (so when she's two, she'll sit there for 2 mins - when she's three she'll sit for 3 etc - it's Supernanny's method). If she moves, I take her back and set the timer again. After the time is up, I go back and tell her again that she was there because she hit me and we don't accept hitting. I ask for a cuddle and an apology and then take her attention to something fun and distract her again. Now, when I warn her, somedays she'll just sit herself down on the naughty spot and she'll come back when she's ready. Good luck - it's hard but it's necessary in teaching boundaries in my opinion x

Sarah - posted on 01/15/2012

my son is neally 2 when hes naughty i explain to him what hes done is wrong and if he carries on his tantrum i ignore him he hates it and soon calms down because hes know he wont get any attention he tries sometimes to chuck things or pick things up he shouldnt after ive told him off i just remove things out of his reach and still ignore him time out doesnt work for him he will not sit for a second where u have sat him and loves the fact your chasin him to put him back there it turns into a game x