Ok mumma's I need your help!! I've read about 'Time out' for toddlers, from leaving your child in a quiet area, to locking them in a room, to sitting with them in a quiet space and reading a book or doing a puzzle etc. Can you please give me your 'time out' strategies and what works best for you and your bubs? I'm a bit confused as to what to do. My daughter is 23 months old, when she throws a tantrum like repeatedly saying 'no mummy' and laying on the floor, I usually just ignore her and go on with what I was doing and that seems to work. She normally stops and asks me for a cuddle. If she asks for something that I have said no to repeatedly, I usually stop and ignore her and continue doing what I was doing. When would be the right time to put her in timeout even if it's me sitting with her quietly? When she throws a tantrum? When she tugs at my leg after I have said no? When she screams at me? Help Mumma's....
I need timeout advice with an almost 2 year old please!!
I need timeout advice with an almost 2 year old please!!
Posted in:
Life Lessons, Parenthood Guilt, Behaviour, Baby & Toddler, Kids
3 Replies
Honestly I've never found 'time outs' with toddlers as very effective. The only time I'd put a toddler in a 'time out' would be putting them in a play pen or similar when they are in danger of hurting themselves. Just trying to pick a screaming tantrumming child up and move them to the 'time out' space is bloody difficult (like wrestling snakes). I've never known a tantrumming child who could sit quietly and read a book, if they could do that, they wouldn't need a time out.
I tend to use the same techniques you do. Letting them have there hissy fit, and they do start to grow out of them as they start to understand when mum says no, she means no.
The reading a book and doing a puzzle is an entirely different scenario and I would be doing those things at other times, not at all related to your child having a tantrum. If a child is having a tantrum there is no way they could sit and do a puzzle. That's a play based activity and it's totally cool to set your child up with an activity and get them started and walk off for a few seconds (gradually extend the time). But that should not be part of how you deal with tantrums.
Thank you. You made me laugh when you said 'like wrestling snakes' lol very true. That's why I'm confused as to how they manage to sit and read a book lol
I personally do find time-outs effective, more so as a calming down mechanism (as long as they aren't in full blown tantrum stage yet!). Depending how close it is from wake up time, morning or nap, if the tears come out they are threatened with going back to bed until they can calm down. If it continues, I follow through with the threat. The door is kept open and I leave them be, they have to stay in bed though and if they get out of bed the door will be shut. Once the crying stops then they are welcome to get back up and continue on. If they've had a tantrum over food, they are then offered to continue eating or go and do a quiet activity instead. I don't reward not eating with a fun activity or movie.
If it is full blown tantrum stage I just remove myself, it frustrates and stresses me out and I find I get worked up. So I find it best to just leave the situation be until they calm down. Then I will come back and continue on.