how to get them to STAY in timeout

At almost 3 our girls are just getting started on "testing" their limits & I am struggling with finding a discipline method that is effective & doesn't have me screaming at them in frustration.

We've tried timeouts in the past but they don't STAY where I sit them - just get down & go running which is even MORE frustrating. I used to no-nonsensely put them in their cribs for timeout but now they just climb out. They can open doors to putting them alone in a room does no good either unless I hold the door shut...which I have done...

I am thinking maybe if I get a little kitchen timer to give them & show them when it reaches "0" then they can come out of timeout but that seems like that would be a fun "toy" & incentive to go to timeout.

Any suggestions? I'm not in my "happy place" right now

 

I followed the Supernanny with time outs. I placed them against a wall sitting on the floor. If they got up, I got them and take them back to their spot. No talking, no emotion. It took a few times, but they caught on quickly that they were supposed to stay there. Now on occasion one will get up and run, but it is not the norm.

 

I have been exactly where you are with my oldest one. I finally got him to stay in his room if I let him sit by the door and I would put the microwave timer on for 2-3min and when it beeped he could come out. It took a quite a few tried but he finally stays in that spot and waits for the timer. I can't put it any longer than 3 min though because he wont sit nice much longer than that. Good luck

 

I just kept telling them I would start the timer over if they got up! I used the kitchen oven timer and it's got clear beeping to indicate time.

I used 1-2-3 magic! Love it! Works like a charm FOR US!

 

:good: This is exactly what I did with my two. Now they don't get up (well, they might but I can count on one hand the amount of times it's happened in the past year) Good luck and don't give up!! :hug:

 

We started TO's around 18 months old. I would either put them in a PNP or strap them into a booster seat that sits on the floor in our dining room. Now that they are older and can understand what I want from them, we use the supernanny approach. They don't always stay sitting in the exact spot (still using the booster, but I don't strap them in anymore). BUT....as long as they stay seated and in close proximity then I don't fight them on it. The TO spot is in the corner in our dining room on the back side of the table. So, as long as they don't come out from around the table then that is OK with me. However, once they do I march them back to the spot without talking or showing any emotion and sit them back down.

 

This is what I had to do to. Their timeout is always their age in minutes and I set the kitchen timer. They never get up now. They did at age 2, when we first started, but I just kept placing them back in spot with no talking or emotion. Now they just sit and cry for a while, then settle down. So the timeout works! They don't really end up in timeout very much anymore though.

 

Strap them in.

I use the highchairs and turn them to face the wall with no talking or emotion and set the timer.

 

I sat them on a square of carpet against the wall and sat the timer. If they got up, I put them back. I stayed close by to watch them. They eventually got it and now don't get up. Good luck!

 

I strap them in also. It began when they were two. I strapped them in their booster and I still so that now. I have them look at the microwave clock and tell them they are done when the last number in the time turns to whenever 3 minutes is up.

 

You've already got some good answers, I just wanted to add that I usually do TO for less than their age in minutes. I read somewhere (divas and dictators) that 2 mins for a 3 year old is fine to prove the point. And it does. They get a chance to calm down and redirect. They still complain that they don't want TO because it's 'so long', but this way there's less chance of them getting up because they've had enough / they're bored at the end.

 

I start the timer over. I've had some pretty long timeouts....

Also, we moved up to 3 minutes and I've moved back down to 2 minutes. It's supposed to remove them from whatever has gotten them in naughty time, and 2 minutes does that. 3 minutes or more just makes them mad.