Introducing time outs?

catycate

Redirection isn't working for us anymore- DS isn't falling for it anymore about 90% of the time, so I was thinking about starting time outs. He is almost 17 months old, and I know they do not recommend before 2, but I don't know what else to do. I was thinking super super short, like 10 seconds, telling him "We do not..." at the beginning and end. Also, 1 warning before (We do not... if you do, you will sit down." Is this way above his developmental level? Will he get it at all? Any other suggestions? Any one else growing out of redirection?

ETA: He is usually a good kid, so I would anticipate spending all day in time-outs. 

EastCoastBride

We've never done timeouts.  When I felt redirection wasn't working, a few things I did -

1- gave choices.  "You can do ___ or you can do ___".  He was actually really receptive to choices. 

2- natural consequences.  If he threw a toy - no warnings, no redirection, no choices.  The toy was put away in the closet for a set amount of time. 

3- stern talks.  If he started to do something and I couldn't redirect him, I'd actually get down in his face and do an exagerated "no no no!  We do NOT do that! That's not nice!" - and I'd also hold his hands in my hands in order to get more of his attention. 

shadypines

EastCoastBride:

We've never done timeouts.  When I felt redirection wasn't working, a few things I did -

1- gave choices.  "You can do ___ or you can do ___".  He was actually really receptive to choices. 

2- natural consequences.  If he threw a toy - no warnings, no redirection, no choices.  The toy was put away in the closet for a set amount of time. 

3- stern talks.  If he started to do something and I couldn't redirect him, I'd actually get down in his face and do an exagerated "no no no!  We do NOT do that! That's not nice!" - and I'd also hold his hands in my hands in order to get more of his attention. 

This

Venus04d

I started with DD around 18 months. I would get down to her level and look her in the eyes while saying, "C if you ------------- again, you will have to go to time out for 1 minute." Then if she did it again, I would put her in her designated TO spot and once again get on her level and say, "We are not allowed to -------. Now you have to stay here in TO for one minute." Then for that minute, I won't make eye contact or give her attention if she cries/whines. If she leaves her spot, I take her right back without speaking. (I don't start the timer ALL the way over, because she is still young. I try to consider how long she made it before she moved.) Once she is finished, I'll tell her "You had to stay in time out because you --------- after mommy said no. Please tell mommy sorry. Once she does I hug her and tell her I love her. No extra chiding or warnings.

At first it didn't seem to work much and she would cry while she stood there. Now she'll stay the full minute without crying or moving AND better yet, stop doing whatever it was I wanted her to stop. In the last week or two, we've gotten to a place where I give her a warning and she actually stops to avoid the TO. I'm really feeling good about our process right now. Dammit, now I know I've jinxed myself.

Just know it takes a while for them to understand the process and you have to communicate EVERY step of the process to them or it won't work.