"DON'T SAY YES when you already said no"
MAKING TIME-OUT WORK

Submitted by:
Barry Belt, Psychologist, Executive Director, Attention Deficit Specialists

Using Time-Out as a Method of Discipline
Punishment involves inflicting pain, such as yelling or hitting, as a consequence of misbehavior. Discipline involves negative consequences, which are aversive, but not painful. As such, the recommended discipline methods include the systematic loss of favored material rewards and time-out. For example, for misbehavior a favorite toy is taken away for the day or time-out is implemented.

1. "Understand Time-Out": removal of ALL reinforcers = lack of stimulation and boredom.
2. Locate a Time-Out chair carefully.
3. Avoid unintended reinforcers: a visible TV or objects that can be play things.
4. Don't use bathrooms, which are full of dangerous or play items.
5. Put clocks away.
6. Don't experiment with varying times. Minimum periods for time-out should be one minute for each year old: 5 minutes for a 5-year-old.
7. Be firm: If the child is misbehaving at the end of the minimum time, he/she should remain.
8. Don't remind the child to quiet down because it reinforces the misbehavior at that moment.
9. Don't ignore behaviors until they reach severe levels. The child is learning to test behaviors and push limits.

The Importance of Consistency
Establishing consistency is important for several reasons: to establish clear rules and expectations for the child, to enhance support and avoid conflict between parents, and to promote an overall more positive environment.

There should be consistency across settings, time, and disciplinarians.

• If a behavior is disciplined/rewarded in one environment, the same behavior should be disciplined/rewarded in other environments.
• Parental standards about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors should not vary from moment to moment.
• Both parents should have the same rules, expectations, and consequences for behavior. Parents should discuss and agree on clear expectations and rules, determine rewards for positive behaviors and discipline for negative behaviors, and make children aware of the rules and consequences. Making a chart often helps.

The next column will focus on a Step-by-Step Approach to Effective Discipline.