I’ve tried time outs with my toddler, but they don’t work. What can I do?

Time outs have got a lot of press as the best way to discipline your toddler or young child. However, if you’re not having any luck with time outs, you may want to consider the following:

If your child is too young for time outs, and not yet developmentally ready, there’s a good chance he won’t respond, will run away, or simply ignore you. Wait until your child understands the difference between right and wrong before you try to use time outs as a disciplinary measure
                                                    
Don’t try to get your toddler to sit still for several minutes. At this age, even a minute can feel like an eternity, and even a few seconds can have the desired calming effect.

Don’t assume that because you’ve given your child a time out, he’s sitting still and behaving. Always make sure you choose a safe location (not his bedroom) where you can still keep an eye on him, while you pretend to ignore him.

If your child is having a tantrum, time outs won’t help. He needs to calm down on his own, and trying to force him to sit still and be quiet won’t help.

Lastly, if you’ve noticed that there are more time outs than time in your child’s day, you may be overusing the tactic. Let your child explore, and save time outs for times when your child is deliberately naughty.