When time out doesn't work...

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

...what do you do?! Three mins on bottom step used to work but now it doesn't. My DD (3.5 yo) will scream and laugh and run away and it's utterly pointless.

So, mumsnet experts. Wtf do we do now?!

Thanks!

Please?!

Put her back until she stays for the 3 minutes?

Jo Frost has a new toddler sos book out which i was reading earlier :-) she say's to stay calm, ignore the laughing (as that's more of an attempt to difuse/control the situation) and just to persist with putting LO back on the naughty step (after a warning) and reset the timer each time you put her back on - cuddle after.

Thank you... Will try again then

If I'm putting her back on though, I am physically moving her/holding her. When she fights back do I restrain her? Or what? Are you supposed to move a kicking, hitting toddler? Won't she get hurt? Maybe I should read the book!

What I do is take him back. If he's willing to go with me just holding his hand then that's fine. If he goes all floppy I pick him up and carry him back. He needs to stay on it for 2 minutes (he's a bit younger) so I keep putting him back until he stays for 2 mins. I do not talk to him again at all, just put him back. And if I have to carry him I face him away from me as I don't want him to think it's a cuddle.

At the beginning I had to put him back over 60 times. But since then he's got that he can't win and now just sits for the duration.

After he's done his two minutes I get him to apologise for what it was he did. And then I give him a kiss and a cuddle and we play.

I only put him there for something he's been warned for. So I'll say "please close the freezer door." Then "close the freezer door." Then "if you don't close the freezer door you will go into time out".

Then I take him through and tell him he needs to sit there for two minutes as he didn't close the door when I asked.

Sorry, it took me until now to spot your reply op.