Time Out

(material provided by The Incredible Years, Carolyn Webster-Stratton, Ph.D.)

• Be polite.
• Be prepared for testing.
• Monitor anger in order to avoid exploding suddenly; give warnings.
• Give 5-minute Time Outs with 2 minutes of silence at the end.
• Carefully limit the number of behaviors for which Time Out is used and use consistently.
• Use Time Out consistently for chosen behaviors.
• Don’t threaten Time Out unless you’re prepared to follow through.
• Ignore child while in Time Out.
• Use nonviolent approaches such as loss of privileges as a back-up to Time Out.
• Follow through with completing Time Out.
• Hold children responsible for cleaning messes in Time Out.
• Support a partner’s use of Time Out.
• Don’t rely exclusively on Time Out — combine with other discipline techniques, such as logical consequences and problem solving.
• Expect repeated learning trials.
• Build up bank account with praise, love, and support.
• Use personal Time Out to relax and refuel energy.
• Use Time Out for destructive behaviors and times when you’re child’ misbehavior cannot be ignored.  Start by choosing just one behavior to work on.  When that behavior is no longer a problem, choose another behavior to work on.
• Give immediate Time Out for hitting and destructive acts.  However, for noncompliance, one warning may be given.
• Ignore inappropriate behaviors, such as screaming, whining, teasing, arguing, swearing, and tantrums.
• Praise positive behavior as often as possible.

Part 7 of 13