Can Time In The Corner Benefit Your Baby?
For many parents, whether or not to implement a "time out" policy can be a big question.
With a growing number of children seemingly raised by wolves (see: no manners, spending more time with the TV than they do with real people, etc.) this
writer must side in favour of the time out. Not only does this method
allow for a cooling down period, but it also creates a sense of
awareness in the slap-happy child. Not only that, but it honestly works. Just ask the Supernanny.
A while back, my husband and I became mildly addicted to Miss Jo
Frost's reality show. Was it the fact that I was pregnant or the fact
that there was nothing else on television that drove us to watch with
anticipation. Totally impressed, we watched to see just how she systematically, and repeatedly she 'fixed' the
naughty tots. And, what was her tried and true method of
exorcising the demons? You guessed it: Time Out.
Now, I understand that TV is TV, and the Supernanny is just
that, but there is something that resonates with the calm, rational
method of removing a child from a heated situation, and just simply
letting them chill. What is the alternative really? Battle it out with
a tiny being who has no sense of rationality. Not effective. Reason with the munchkin
who finds it tough to remember that sticking gum in your
hair is a major no-no. Impossible. By spanking a child that hit her sister, the
lesson taught is incredibly mixed: it's alright to hit, but only in
certain situations. When, in reality, it's never okay to hit.
By utilizing a non-violent way of intervening in an aggressive
situation, you are teaching a skill that will be used time and time
again. They will begin to learn how to control emotions, as well as begin to
understand that there are consequences for their actions. And isn't
that what parenting is all about? It's tough to be the enforcer, but
our goal is to show as much love and support to our little offspring,
while shaping their precious little minds for the real world.
 Lisa Kehler | |
| About the author: | |
After graduating from the University of Winnipeg with an honours degree in art history, I felt the need for speed and landed in Vancouver, BC. And the story goes that I fell in love with a rugged, outdoorsy-type, we made a baby, and the 3 of us moved to Halifax to try our hand at another coast. With the help of my son, Sir Oliver the Small, I am beginning to understand a different side of life: a sort of realization that life is a puzzle and the beauty in it depends on which side of the piece you are looking at. | |
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