What the heck do I do with a toddler who LIKES time outs?

*sallymad*

DD only gets time outs if she hits me or dh or is mean to the dogs. Those are the things that redirecting never worked on. 

So if she hits we give her a stern look and say, "No hitting. That hurts Mommy/Daddy/Puppies" then if she hits again (which 99% of the time she will) we then say, "Gwen NO hitting, now you get a time out". She knows it's coming, which is why I think she hits again. She gets all excited and claps then sits in her time out spot singing. (pretty hard not to laugh when she does that, lol). 

We have never made time outs a happy or funny thing, I can't figure out why she likes it? Because she got a "fun" reaction out of us? If time outs don't work for hitting then the heck will? We've tried all the normal responses to hitting which is why we resorted to time outs. Ignoring, taking her hand and saying gentle, redirection, etc etc.

Suggestions? 

EcoBaby

That is pretty funny. lol The only time DS hits is when he is tired, so I'm not sure if I will be very helpful, but if it were me, I wouldn't say "no hitting" but I would have a serious talk with her "You can't hit mommy. You might hurt me, etc." If she did it again, I would remove her from the situation, but I would sit next to her and just talk seriously to her. I would say, "This isn't funny. You really hurt me...etc." Make her apologize to you. Show her the proper way to use her hands, such as hugging you or touching your softly (same with the dogs, etc.).

When DS hits, I know it is time for bed/nap.

kmjbjg

I'm sorry, no advice, but thinking of your DD clapping at getting a time out and then sitting in the chair singing made me LOL!

caeliesmom

SOUNDS LIKE SHE IS ENJOYING THE NEGATIVE ATTENTION. I WOULD GIVE NO REACTION AND MOVE AWAY FROM HER. IF YOU ARE IN PUBLIC AND SHE HITS SIMEONESOMEONE ELSE THAN I WOULD PROBABLY SAY SORRY TO WHOEVER SHE HOT AND TAJETAKE HER AWAY FROM THE AREA. THIS IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH TIMEOUT AT THIS AGE, THEY DONTDON'T REALLY GET IT.

sevans1975

EcoBaby:

That is pretty funny. lol The only time DS hits is when he is tired, so I'm not sure if I will be very helpful, but if it were me, I wouldn't say "no hitting" but I would have a serious talk with her "You can't hit mommy. You might hurt me, etc." If she did it again, I would remove her from the situation, but I would sit next to her and just talk seriously to her. I would say, "This isn't funny. You really hurt me...etc." Make her apologize to you. Show her the proper way to use her hands, such as hugging you or touching your softly (same with the dogs, etc.).

When DS hits, I know it is time for bed/nap.

My DD is the same...she really only hits when she is tired.  So, I say similar things about how "we don't hit" and try for a nap if we can.

BabyCakes3

Where is her time out spot? DD's in the the little hall around the corner from the living room. She doesn't like being separated from everyone so that upsets her. But I may try to put her down & walk away. Completely ignore it?

cranberry27

Read the book 1-2-3 Magic by Thomas Phelan .  It's technically for 2+, but I think you will get a lot out of it.  If this is the situation you're in, it completely applies and she's ready for it.  It will talk a lot about what she's getting out of these encounters and how to change things slightly to make it effective.  I used to use it when I worked in EI, and I recommended it to a LOT of parents who typically found it very helpful.

tarebear9891

Time outs don't really work around here either. We taught him "gentle" where we showed him how to pat our arm or the dog softly. When I see he is about to hit, I say, "Hey show me gentle." And 70% of the time it works. And the other 30% I have to usually remove him completely from whatever is frustrating him (which usually means carrying him into another room). 

MegGary

lol DD does this too. We put her in time out for hitting. When she got out of time out she walked right back over to DH, slapped him & said, I want a time out.

We've done as PP said. We tell her no hitting and that we do not want to play with her if she's going to do that. She eventually gets it & stops.