TIME OUT FOR YOU!

Following an example Hayden's teacher uses for discipline at school, we printed off an outline of a little hand filled in with red ink.  This is taped on the back door at Hayden's shoulder height.

This is the spot for Time Outs.

We tried sending him to his room, but there's too much to do back there - time outs weren't much of a discouragement for bad behavior.  We also tried sitting him on a chair, but he can sit on a chair for days without being particularly bothered.

Finally we saw this sign in his new classroom and our collective lightbulb went on in our brains.

Since we've put it up, Hayden's only had one real time out.  It lasted 2 minutes (until an egg timer went off) and he's never been back.

Mom, however, has been ordered to time out repeatedly.  Mom play-punches Dad's arm, steals food off of Dad's (and Hayden's) plates, as well as being a general miscreant.  Hayden will not tolerate this (as well he shouldn't), so off Mom must go to Time Out.

At first we thought he was kidding, but then he got this very serious look on his face and said 'Mom - TIME OUT!'  Mom said she was sorry for whatever transgression pushed Hayden too far, but The Judge's sentence was final - TIME OUT!

She wasn't there long because Hayden is a benevolent magistrate, but now we're living day to day walking on eggshells never knowing what might set him off and land us a 2-minute minor or even a 5-minute major (those are references to a sport called 'Hockey').

We're not thrilled about being put in 'The Sin Bin', but he's learning about actions and consequences, using new language, putting pieces of mental puzzles together and that makes us very happy.

We love our little tyrant.