Explain to me how to do the time out routine?

[Mylittlebubble]

My DD 2.2 is a cheerful happy talkative little girl and a joy to be around however she has started to do little things which she knows are naughty or wind me up for example swiching the plug sockets on and off when I am using something in them. She looks at me with a smile to say I know you don't like this but I'm going to keep doing it haha. Then she will completely ignore me when I ask her to stop it. Then I go for the naughty step, chair or corner which she thinks is a game and does not see as any sort of punishment at all. She even puts her teddy;s in the naughty chair sometimes when she is playing!

What am I doing wrong with this method? Talking to my friends their children of the same age have started a simular behaviour of ignoring being told off or told to stop doing something. I am finding myself getting angry with her about it and I don't want to do that.

Why do you not want to get angry?

I think 'angry' is an important part of the technique or at least enough anger so that you are 'commmanding' and 'imposing'. Children need to know that you are annoyed. Look them in the eyes, physically turning them to look at you if necessary.

If, in an effort to stay calm, you are putting her on a chair and 'asking her to stop it' but using a similar pitch/tone of voice that you would the rest of the time then they can play up.

I use time out for calming down.

In the situation described here I'd be using a firm no and re-directing her attention. It sounds like she's using this as a way to get attention so try to strike earlier with a different focus for her. Also use lots of praise when she's doing things you like. So if you're busy and she's not attention seeking make sure you notice and praise her.

I'd use time out when the child needs a way out of a situation which is escalating rather than as a punishment.

HTH