Lesson 5: Lesson 5 - Behavioral management: Part II
Attachment #1: Time Out Guidelines
TIME OUT GUIDELINES
1. Select one bad behavior at a time to use with Time Out. Start with this one target behavior before adding others. Here are some appropriate time-out targeted behaviors:
- biting
- whining
- slapping
- hitting
- doing dangerous things
DO NOT USE TIME OUT: When a child is pouting; sulking, in a bad mood or hyperactive.
Time Out should be used to STOP A BEHAVIOR - NOT TO START A BEHAVIOR.
2. Find a boring, dull, safe place for time out, away from activities going on in the house and free from social interchanges. For young children (2-4 yrs of age) use a straight-back chair in area where you can monitor them. Be in the room with them, but do not give them any eye contact or attention during time out. Do not talk to them. If child gets off the chair, gently, but firmly replace him/her back on chair without speaking. If necessary, you can restrain firmly but gently by holding them with your arms around them or putting arms around them while they are in the chair.
For older children (5-12 yrs of age), send them to a different room. Bedrooms are not a good place! A bathroom is a good place as long as it is childproofed. If the child makes a mess, they will be required to help clean it up.
Whenever they are in Time Out, do not communicate with them.
3. Before beginning a Time Out program: Sit down and explain to your child the purpose of time out and the targeted, unacceptable behavior. Explain and show how you will quickly take the child to the time out area after giving him a warning. Have child rehearse the time out including sitting for a minute in time out area. Explain that if the child is quiet when the timer rings, then she/he may leave, but if she/he is screaming, yelling, tearing up room, etc., then there will be more time out or a privilege removed. It is important that both parents be in attendance if both are using time out. For young children, a doll may be used to demonstrate.
4. Purchase a portable timer so child will know how much time he/she has and when time is over.
5. When target behavior occurs, warn him once, and if child does not comply, then send to time out.
RULE: Use no more than 10 words and 10 seconds to get child into time out. Act swiftly and be consistent.
Younger children (2-4 yrs old) at first will require your picking them up and carrying to the time out chair. When they are familiar with procedure, send them verbally.
Older children (5-12 yrs old) can be given the command to go. If they do not comply, DO NOT FORCE PHYSICALLY, but add one additional minute to the time out for each 10 seconds the child does not go to time out, up to 10 min. in all. After that time, if child has still not complied, remove a desired activity. Example: No TV for that night, no playtime with friend, etc. It is helpful if the activity you are removing is not too far in the future. When child goes into time out, follow through with additional time out and then allow him to leave! DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PULLED INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS!
6. When child is in time out:
7. After time out, DO NOT SCOLD OR ARGUE WITH CHILD OVER WHAT HAS HAPPENED. Avoid discussions or explanations about intentions.
Summary: Time out is to curtail or eliminate destructive and inappropriate behaviors. Time out will not be damaging to the psyche of a child if it is used correctly. Whenever using a behavior management strategy, it will always be more effective to reward or reinforce the behaviors you want versus trying to stop all the behaviors you don’t want.
Adapted from The Time-Out Solution, Dr. L. Clark, 1989 and SOS - Help for Parents, Dr. L. Clark, 1985.
