One of the most used tools for punishing a child’s behavior in the last decade has been the “Time Out.” Companies capitalized on products geared to assist parents with this consequence creating tools that range from Time Out Timers to Time Out Chairs. I’m a fan of Time Out myself. It’s a great way for everyone to regroup, reset and recharge. But if a child sits in Time Out and stews about the punishment or is uncertain about what they did to land themselves there the Time Out is really ineffective, and more times than not the child will end up right back in the Time Out seat.
This consequence is much more useful if the child has an opportunity to get in touch with what they are feeling and then get to a calmer more centered place. A child that leaves Time Out calm and balanced is a child that will interact with his surroundings more successfully.
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of a Time Out.
1) Choose a time out spot in your home and make it peaceful — Maybe at a window that overlooks the garden or in a space that removed from household noise. It should also be comfortable enough that the child can relax, for example a chair is preferrable to standing.
2) Play some happy music in Time Out. Not something that is distracting, but this is a good time to use something like Baby Mozart’s Relax, Daydream and Draw CD.
3) Encourage deep breathing in the Time Out space. This may mean sitting with your child the first few times and breathing with them so that they understand this is part of the Time Out process. Deep breathing encourages the physical and emotional levels of the body to relax. Only once these levels are relaxed can anyone process what’s going on around them. You are much more likely to get your child to understand their actions once they are calm.
4) If the child is angry, have them count to ten. This process helps them refocus their energy and helps to move them out of such a negative space.
5) Just before they leave their Time Out space ask them to tell you something they love about themselves. This reestablishes the idea that consequences do not define them, and they will be in their heart which opens them up to better interactions with everyone. (Remember ideally it’s 1 minute of Time Out for every year of the child’s age. A 2-year-old can sit for 2 minutes)
6) My only DON’T suggestion is directly for the parents or caregivers. Do not end a Time Out asking the child if they know what they did wrong. This only serves to inject more negative energy into the process at the exact moment that we are asking them to go back to playing or listening to instructions. We are setting ourselves up for disaster when we do this. Instead, it is appropriate to tell the child why they are going to Time Out when it is issued, or if the child is older, to ask them why they think they are being sent to Time Out.
Little Soul Productions 