Naughty step/time out

[EnidClowes]

I tried this with DD (2.6) today as she was being really naughty and definitely on purpose. It failed miserably and she kept getting off and being cheeky about it, winding me up etc. I persevered and it was awful. Thankfully DH arrived home and took over.
Talking about it later we realised we both hated it and don't like punishing her. I don't want to do it again.

Before today I would explain the issue, try and work it out with her and if all else fails just ignore the tantrums and try to keep her safe and calm. But with the level of actual naughtiness and boundary pushing my usual ways are failing.

Am I going to end up with a brat? How do I survive this stage? Everyone else I know seems to do the naughty step and it works. Am I just not firm enough?

Help!

If the naughty stepped worked, kids would only have to do it once! They don't - they do it all the time right?

I used to use it as punishment but have taken a different view. You've got different options - distract, prevent, encourage to do something else, model good behaviour etc.

Why are you using time out? What was she doing?

I've never used the naughty step/time out. I found 3 onwards hard with my DD. She has frequently driven me to tears with her button pressing and divaish behaviour. Sometimes I do think I have created a brat but she has always been an angel at nursery and school.

I love her dearly, she is very difficult at times but I'm glad in a way that she is so obstinate assertive as I've always been such a submissive person. I would no way have wanted a child that was frightened of me/punishment although sometimes I do feel I've gone a bit too far the other way. Children do need boundaries and they want a parent who seems to be in control. I often fail at this and then wonder why I'm a servant in my own home.

When your DD gets older you could try some of the stategies in "How to talk so your children listen and listen so your children talk". Might be worth a read now.

creatures the list is too long, seriously she was just defying me at every turn, all options I gave, shouting at me, spitting food out, throwing things just endless. Nightmare! Definitely the last resort. Probably not executed very well though. I think actually a cuddle would have made all the difference actually, looking back she was probably over tired and I wasn't as cool and calm as I'd thought I was being.

balloonist I know what you mean , DD seems to really stick to her guns when she thinks she's right, we often end up in a stand off because she as stubborn willful as me.

In the morning light I really do think I handled it badly and not sure the naughty step is for us might all change again once the naughty phase hits!

Gawd, it's hard this parenting lark innit.