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Corners and Swats or Praise and Pardons?
Discipline for Young Children By Carma Haley Shoemaker
A Matter of Time
Another commonly used method of discipline is "time-out." The child is removed from the situation and placed in a quiet area where they are supposed to consider what it is they did wrong. It's that simple; or is it? Are parents expecting too much of their young child when using this method? According to Victoria Speaks-Folds, vice president of education for Tutor Time Learning Systems, Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla., they are. "Parents commonly expect young children to understand what they did wrong," says Speaks-Folds. "Young children are not wired yet to do so. Parents approach young children expecting them to respond with adult-like abilities, but (the parents) need to remember that children under 3 years of age aren't there yet, and won't get there without their help." However, others believe that time-outs can be very effective when used properly. Naomi Drew, author of Peaceful Parents, Peaceful Kids, states that consistency is important to make time-outs affective. "As the child reaches toddlerhood, time outs can be used, but make them brief and immediate," says Naomi Drew. "The most important thing of all is setting clear consistent, fair limits and sticking with them. Be willing to compromise when you think it's the best thing to do, not because the child wears you down. If your child is defiant (while in time-out) look him/her clearly in the eye, and in a firm voice explain that what he/she said or did is unacceptable and give a time-out."
Prize Winning ehavior
