Time Out

So Monkey is 21 months old now, and she throws temper tantrums and hits when she is mad. So, we give her time outs.

Time outs are conducted in the big arm chair in the living room. No books or toys are allowed, and the tv can't be on. After all, she's supposed to sit there and not have fun!

When she does something bad, like getting sulky when refused crack cocaine sprinkled on her cheerios and trying to hit me, (kidding about the drugs, but not about her taking a swipe at me), her behavior prompts an immediate response. I would tell her no, scoop her up into my arms, scold her again, and tell her she is going to get a time out. Usually this precipitates much crying and writhing in my arms, she'll say sorry, act a little sulky, but then cheer right up and stop the bad behavior. And, when she was put into the time out chair, she'd cry and cry and cry. In general, this approach was working. The time out chair was something she wanted to avoid!

So, we moved onto using the time out chair as a threat. If Monkey was drawing with crayon on the floor we'd tell her no, and ask her if she wanted a time out. She'd say no, and stop drawing on the floor.

Unfortunately for us, she has now decided that she LIKES the time out chair. When asked if she'd like a time out (posed as a threat), she stops crying, nods, and says "yesth!" And when put into the time out chair, she rolls around on her back, wiggles her feet in the air, sings and generally enjoys herself.

She's killing me! Outwitted by a 21 month old.