Sisterly advice re-discipline

[Drolefille]

Pardon the non-sisterly advice, but I'm a big fan of the "strip her room of anything fun and make her time outs in there" method. You physically pick her up and put her in there instead of trying to explain to her why she's in time out. Cause she knows.

And if she can open doors put one of those plastic doorknob covers on there so she can't get out on her own. (My mom used them to keep us out of the linen closet with the cleaning supplies and medicine in it, I assume they're still around somewhere)

That way time-out means something and isn't just time where she a)gets to play in her room or b) gets attention... she's left alone and can't watch/interact with you until her time is up.

[LPIDelta]

Yeah sorry for the crash-- but I agree with Drolefille. My "spot" was the bathroom and my best friend makes her kids put their nose to the fireplace. She is doing this because you let her--and because she gets attention. If she has to go away somewhere where she can't get attention, then I think you'll see her attitude change. She may only be two but they are SMART at that age.

[AGDee]

It helps to use a timer also. The second she leaves her time out spot, you start the timer over. Make sure you are using a VERY firm voice. My son was similar at that age and a few times, it did take a swat on a diapered bottom to get him to realize that we were serious. I realize that some people think this is wrong, but it really got his attention more than anything. Kind of like hitting your hand with a rolled up newspaper to get the dog's attention when he/she is misbehaving.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AGDee

It helps to use a timer also. The second she leaves her time out spot, you start the timer over. Make sure you are using a VERY firm voice. My son was similar at that age and a few times, it did take a swat on a diapered bottom to get him to realize that we were serious. I realize that some people think this is wrong, but it really got his attention more than anything. Kind of like hitting your hand with a rolled up newspaper to get the dog's attention when he/she is misbehaving.

I've always thought the swat on the bottom is effective at this age. So often kids just want the attention they get when they get in trouble. A swat makes them realize that hey, this isn't fun time with mommy, this is Time Out.

Give her plenty of positive attention, but don't let her get it by misbehaving. She'll learn that when she's good she gets hugs and smiles and fun and when she's bad she gets nothing. Operant conditioning really works

/psych geek