Positive Time Out

by Dr. Jane Nelsen

In many of our books we talk about “Positive Time Out.” There are several points that need to be made regarding time out for children who have not yet reached the age of reason:

1.) Any kind of time out should not be used with children under 3 1/2 years old. Until children reach the age of reason, which starts around three (and is an ongoing process that even some adults have not fully mastered) supervision and distraction are the most effective parenting tools. This means simply that young children need constant supervision and removal, kindly and firmly, from what they can’t do and guidance to an activity they can do. If they can’t understand reasoning, why try to reason?