If you're exasperated by your child behavior, set out some clear house rules and try putting them into force using the "Naughty Step" Method. This is one way of giving them time out, giving everyone a chance to calm down and allowing your child a moment to think over what was wrong with what they did. The Naughty Step could be a step, a chair, a corner or anywhere, so long as the child will be somewhere where nothing will distract them and are old enough to sit in a chair.
How it works :
- When your child misbehaves or breaks one of the house rules, explain what they have done wrong, tell them that their behavior are unacceptable, and warn them that if they behave in the same way again, they'll be put on the Naughty Step. Make sure your voice remains calm, not angry, and use a low, authoritative tone.
- Is there a particular toy or something which is triggering the situation which you could calmly remove? Or is your child tired or hungry? See if you can help resolve their frustration and move them on to another activity to diffuse the situation.
- If they misbehave again, immediately put them on the Naughty Step. Explain clearly why they are there and how long they must stay there (one minute per year of her age).
- If they come off the Naughty Step, put them back on using gentle but firm movements and keep putting them back onto the step until they realize that you are committed to keeping them there for the agreed set time.
- Once your child has completed the agreed set time on the Naughty Step, crouch down so you're on the same level, use a low and authoritative tone of voice, and explain why you put them there. Ask them to apologize, and when they do, praise them warmly with a kiss and a cuddle. Say "thank you", go back to what they were doing and forget about the incident
- If your child refuses to apologize (or does something like shouts "sorry" in a way which makes you think they probably doesn't mean it!), continue this technique until they realize that you need a proper apology. But don't forget the kiss and cuddle at the end!
Older children will outgrow the Naughty Step, so try to cultivate in them a sense of responsibility for their actions by creating a reflection room or chill-out zone. They can be asked to go there when they're angry to give them time and physical space to think things over.
Once disciplined, however, it is especially important to find out why your child behaved in a way which was out of character, as understanding their actions will help you to prevent it occurring again.
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