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