Most American children have heard of “time out” because it is used as a gentle form of behavioral modification. When children misbehave, positive parenting means teaching children important lessons about right and wrong behaviors and reactions. The concept is so popular that makers of children’s furniture have designed and produced a time out chair built just for small people who need a little quiet time to think about their actions or words.
Chances are that most parents today did not have one of the beautiful, themed time out chairs sold today. They probably were sent to a corner where an old, beat up piece of furniture sat, or they had to stand in the corner. The reason the furniture was worse for wear was because it had accommodated misbehaving older siblings. The children’s time out chairs made today would seem to have no relation to the newer works of art with themes like “sunny safari”, “froggy time”, or just simple “time out.”
Take a Breather and Relax
The beautiful time out chairs that can complement any room’s décor today still have the same purpose as the chairs of old. They are used as a spot where a child must sit and ponder bad behavior, sassy words, or tantrums. However, the time out chair also makes a good spot for children to take a breather and just calm down when life gets a bit hectic. The artwork on modern day time out chairs is soothing because it is child-inspired.
Time out chairs can play an important role in helping parents interrupt and stop certain behaviors. The chair is a designated spot to be used only when a child needs to change the way he or she is responding or acting. The general guidelines for using the child-designated furniture are as follows:
* Time out should occur right after the behavior that needs to change so that the child makes the connection
* Time out should be short so that it teaches patience without evoking unreasonable anger
* Keep time out as quiet time and not as a time for lecturing
* Make sure the time out furniture is in a boring spot
Time Well Spent
Any children’s furniture can be used as a time-out spot, including a rocker or stool. Time out should only last a few minutes, so the child should have no problem sitting on a step stool. Time has proven to be an effective disciplinary strategy for decades, so it is not surprising that special time-out furniture has been designed.
If a young child objects to time-out, it may be necessary to sit with the child. Since the time out period is short, most children will not object to the discipline. Some parents develop a special name for time-out. When the name is used, the child knows that mommy or daddy is serious. For example, time out may become quiet time or lesson time.
Used right, time out furniture is an effective but gentle disciplinary tool that can guide a young child down the right path. One day, the young child will recall those moments in the time out chair and realize that it was time well spent.
