16 month old and time out?

Question

I posted Q's about my 16 month old being a brat, and starting to run the show. How do I put a child in time out that wont sit still. He would never stay in a corner, he also is not speaking yet, not much at least, he does know sign language, but does not use it yet. Should I like keep his play pen out for time out? There is no way he would just sit there! He needs discipline! But he just doesnt understand things! Like time out. He is entering the terrible twos and I just need help figuring out how to start the different discipline techniques. So far I only flick his hand and/or remove him and give him something else to do, that doesnt work so well anymore. I wasnt aware he would even be ready for time outs.

Answer 1

In my opinion, a 16 month old is way too young for time-outs.  My daughter is 16 months old as well, and there is no way she has the maturity to sit still for any length of time, nor to understand why she is being forced to sit still.  They have very short attention spans and will not remember or understand what they have done wrong.  Redirection is the best way.  I spoke to the toddler teachers at my daughters daycare and they do not use time-outs until the children are over two years of age, and even then, it depends on the child.

Edit - Please ignore the advice re. using the child's bed or crib as a punishment.  That will only lead to creating a very negative association with bedtime and will compound your problems.

Answer 2

If you are prepared for the play pen to only represent a punishment place then yes that is an excellent idea for time outs, provided that he cannot climb out. But once you do that you really can't use the playpen just any old time because it needs to represent a place he doesn't want to be. This is how time out works effectively.

Answer 3

time outs are not for any children under 3 they do not understand what it is yet. my daughter was the same way, to put it nice she was a brat! u need to squat down to their level and in a clam voice jsut explain why its not good to do what ever their doing. never call them names or dont even call them naughty. tell them its not ok. like its not ok to hit or its not ok to play with things that is not theirs. but for them to listen you cant yell and you need to be down on their level. is you talk slow and explain things they will listen and understand. they understand more then you think they do. good luck. just tell yourself... This too shall pass.

Answer 4

it's called the terrible twos and it's not the kid who needs the time out its you, put the kid down in it's bed let scream and go to the other end of the house have a cup of tea and count to ten  

Answer 5

My daughter is two years old and I try spankin and time outs but sometimes this doens't work spanking only teached her to hit and time outs sometimes work but only if they know what there getting time out for and if you talk them through it. I am no expert I loose my cool and put my daughter in her crib (it has a little door so it is always left open) and let her cry her fit out once I hear her calming down i go and get her and tell her that she can come out now that she has calmed down but she usually doesn't come out and if she does and she is still throwing a fit I put her back in there. But your 16 month old seems not to understand to well what is going on I would suggest making a big deal out of the good things he does and showing him the way things need to be done down to his level.