![]() Helping the child understand what behavior caused the time out and what kind of behavior is considered acceptable will help the child change the behavior in the future. Parental concernsĬhildren are often very vocally adverse to time outs, but time outs have been found to be effective ways of changing behavior in many children. The room should not contain anything valuable or fragile and should not contain bookshelves or other things that the child may be able to pull and injure him or her self with. Children who leave time out before time is up can be gently held in place or put in a room while the parent holds the door shut. Not insisting that children maintain silence for the completion of time out can be helpful, because it allows children to vent their feelings and makes time out easier to complete successfully. Many times children will vocalize their distress while they are in time out. If they do not comply, this age group often responds well to being grounded until they choose to complete the time out. It is usually possible to give these children a certain sense of autonomy by having them help choose the time out location (when they are not angry) and allowing them to take themselves there. School age children may be more resistant to the concept of time out. Time outs for this age group should be very brief. If time outs are used in a preschool or daycare situation, parents may want to discuss this with the teachers or caregivers so that time outs can be used consistently in situations at home too. Time outs are usually most effective with preschool-age children. ToddlerhoodĬhildren under three may not be mature enough to comprehend a time out, although for some it may be an effective tool. Although the goal of time out may be to teach the child to take responsibility for controlling his or her own behavior, depending on the age and temperament of the child, this may not be possible without support and comfort from parents or other concerned adults. Children may benefit most from a time out if the issues of aggression or out-of-control behavior have been discussed at a time when the child was not upset. If children are fighting because they are hungry or tired, then that need should be addressed. Changing the situation may restore tempers more readily than a spell of reflection. If an activity is too stressful to one or more children, it may be better to end the activity. ![]() There may be other techniques parents or caregivers can use before a time out becomes necessary. The time out should serve to teach the child to manage strong feelings safely, and after he or she has done so, the child should be praised for calming down. The time-out area should not be a constraining or frightening place, such as a locked closet. It should be clear to the child that the time out is not punitive, and a child should not feel humiliated for having a time out. The parent or caregiver may ask the child to try to calm down alone in the time-out spot and then give attention only after the child has made some effort. Other children may not be able to recover their equilibrium without help from an adult. Some children can accomplish this by themselves, and being removed from a stressful play situation is all that they need. The time out is not used as a punishment so much as an opportunity for the child to try to regain control of emotions. The time should be very short -one guide suggests a minute for each year of the child's age -as most young children cannot easily comprehend longer time spans. The child may be allowed to end the time out when he or she is ready or told to stay in the time-out place for a specific length of time. Parents may have a special place in the home for time outs: in the child's room, in a certain chair, or on a rug in an out-of-the-way place. If a child becomes too aggressive or angry, the parent or caregiver may remove the child from the upsetting situation. The time out has become an increasingly popular method of dealing with children's inappropriate behavior. Time out is a technique in which a child is removed from activity and forced to sit alone for a few minutes in order to calm down.
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