Time Out!

TIME OUT: A quiet period used especially as a disciplinary measure for children.

Or as Max says..."UH OH?". 

I have questioned this method of parenting....does it really work? Does it just teach kids to do something and all they have to do is go stand in the corner for 5 minutes and it is okay?  Is it really productive?

We've made it 16 months and finally yesterday, it happened.  Time Out!  That's not to say that Max didn't deserve a time out before now, but he was either too little to understand, wouldn't stay in one spot, couldn't sit still, etc. Not anymore.  Now, it is two strike, and you're out. 

Max has gotten to that age where he is understanding more, but can't verbalize it and gets very frustrated. So, he'll be playing along perfectly content and then all of a sudden he will throw his toy across the room, hit something/someone, make an ugly face, etc.  Yesterday, he was pushing his walker and out of nowhere, I see the walker go flying across the floor because he got mad. He ran over to it, stared it down and then hit it. I got down to his level and explained that we don't throw or hit our toys out of anger. He looked and me and my thought process led me tobelieve he was going to hug me, but instead he leaned in and slapped me - and then proceeded to head butt me in the nose. I thought it was broken (my nose, that is).  To TIME OUT we went.

I've come to realize that time out works - for kids and for mom! I needed it just as much as Max did. So to answer my original question - does time out work? INDEED, friends!  We both sat with our backs against the wall, took a breath, and sat in silence.

So, Mr. Webster, the new definition:
TIME OUT: A quiet period used especially as a disciplinary measure for children and a moment of silence for mom used to adjust broken noses and broken hearts.

Dear Mom,

I'm sorry if I ever hit you. I realize now that was not nice.

Love,
Melissa