Time Out

We are deep into the terrible twos phase. You can tell when you realize your little one knows exactly what is required to be done; but just chooses to do otherwise. Also if the two-some is not getting exactly what she wants, an immediate melt down ensues. So, I had introduced a new weapon in my arsenal- timeout: a few minutes in a safe quiet place all alone. I tell her in a calm voice why the punishment is being given and then I leave her for a few minutes. 

Lately she's been sleeping in the bed with me and not in the crib, so I had been using the crib as a timeout zone. It's a safe place with no toys, no entertainment. And no mechanism for her to get out. A perfect, contained timeout place. Or so I thought.

Usually I would give her a timeout and then I would leave the room. She's generally bawling when I'm leaving. What I didn't know is that the crying doesn't last too long. 

The other day, I gave her a timeout but instead of going out, I retreated in the attached closet - I was trying to find something. The crying and whining stopped almost as soon as I disappeared from the scene. Instead, in the absense of entertainment toys at her disposal, she resorted to singing songs, narrating rhymes to herself. Making cartwheels in the crib, laughing at herself doing so. Talking to herself. More songs. More rhymes! And I thought this was a punishment! But this was no timeout! This was a fun time!

What was funnier? When I came back into the room and when she saw me, the whining began all over again :)

Wicked:)