Knowledgebase: Parenting Questions

Questions about the managment of common parenting problems such as discipline.

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7. Explain TIME-OUT to me please - Top

Q: My daughter uses TIME-OUT as her main source of discipline; could you please explain what this is?

A: TIME-OUT is a very useful form of discipline for children. I generally encourage parents not to use time-out as punishment, but to use it as a teaching tool. Time-out is for children to think about their behavior for which it is being used and it is also time-out for parents to get out of battles that their children may put them in. I especially recommend its use when children are trying to gain control over a situation and parents feel themselves losing control. Children then should be placed in a time-out environment with walls between them and the parents until the parent can regain their composure and energy to interact with the child. Children unfortunately see themselves gaining control when their parents are losing control. If they do not see this loss of control (the reason for the walls), they do not gain any control or positive reinforcement for their unacceptable behavior. A couple of important rules for Time-Out: First is to be consistent in its useage; i.e. if a behavior deserves time-out one time, it deserves it every time. Second, use time-out early in a misbehavior situation before the child has you in an all-out battle situation.
- Updated: March 25, 2001

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James L Horwitz, MD

David C. Thomas, MD

Barbara Lindberg, PNP