In our house we use time out. We put Brianna in the dining room where there is nothing interesting, and you can't see the TV or the parents. We really only use this when she's not listening... We give her a couple of warnings and if she still doesn't listen to our very reasonable requests, she goes in time out. Sometimes she goes there without warnings if it's something we already know she is clear on, like no poking your brother in the eye, or no throwing things in the house.
Lately we have been putting her in time out more for the listening things...
Mom- Brianna, no jumping on the couch.
Bri- I'm gonna jump...
Mom- Brianna, I said no jumping, you could fall and get an ouchie.
Bri- (knees bent, huge grin) I'm gonna jump...
Mom- Brianna, if you jump on the couch I'm going to put you in time out.
Bri- **(Jumps vigorously) I WANT TO JUMP!
(Mom picks up crying child by the armpits and carries her without cuddling to time out spot)
Mom- You need to sit here for 3 minutes until you're ready to listen.
(1 minute crying)
(1 minute silence, sometime punctuated by sniffling)
Bri- (1 minute whining) I want to listen!
(Mom then explains one more time what went wrong and Bri says sorry, life goes on)
Yesterday, Brianna put herself in time out 3 times. People, this is weird. Rather than actually doing the "naughty" thing she wants to do, as soon as I threaten time out, the conversation changes (** point above). Bri grumpily says things like, "I want time out!" So I say fine and she takes herself to time out. Her version of time out is only about 30 seconds long, but she comes back and apologizes, and never actually does what I'm asking her not to do.
I'm not sure how long this will last. I'm totally sure that Jo Frost would not approve. I kind of like it though. She doesn't misbehave as much and I don't have to listen to her scream... I think I'll ride this train as far as I can!
No comments:
Post a Comment