Time Out

Yes, I do sometimes just need some time out, but that isn't what this post is about today.

Ever since JD entered the "terrible twos" (which really haven't been that terrible for us), he has started to understand cause and effect a little better. Which means for us, we can discipline him and he understands why (at least most of the time).

We've employed a method of warnings and time outs for the most part. Spankings are reserved for the most severe offenses. But the warnings and time outs had been working for us.

For instance, if JD throws his toys, he first gets a warning. If he does it again, he gets one more warning. Then if the unthinkable happens and he does it AGAIN, he gets put into time out for 2 minutes. Sometimes, we will put the toy into time out if it is a repeat offense (this is almost as effective).

But recently, I have begun to question the time out method. Especially since my son has started to put himself into time out. Hmmm....kind of takes the punish out of the punishment if he WANTS to go to time out.

Now if I give him a warning, he automatically goes to the time out chair and says "sorry for (fill in the blank), now can I get down?" Since I didn't even put him in time out to begin with, this isn't working too well for me!

And if he stopped doing the offense, then I would consider myself lucky to have a self-punishing kid. But as soon as he pulls himself out of his own time outs, he continues to do whatever it is he wasn't supposed to do.

I wonder what Supernanny would say about that!