Time out

[Beth2537]

Hi, please can you share your thoughts and opinions on using ‘time out’ within a preschool setting?

we use time out at home. the kids go and sit on the 'naughty step' until my dh or I say they can get off.

We don’t use time out at home.

Any preschool staff share their experiences?

Our pre school had a "thinking mat", a new manager came along and the child was sat with a egg timer (a minute for each year of age), we have yet another new manager who doesn't seem to have any approach to silly/naughty/disruptive etc behaviour.
May I ask the reason for you question Op?

The problem is, everyone uses different methods and they can’t copy exactly what every parent does at home. They choose the rules and the consequences and the children learn to abide by them.

So if your new manager has no approach to negative behavior how does this work for the children.

What exactly does a child have to do wrong to be given time out?
most behaviors are age appropriate, I fully understanding harming another child etc needs more discipline. Just want to get an idea of what things children do inappropriate that require time out?

So if your new manager has no approach to negative behavior how does this work for the children.

What exactly does a child have to do wrong to be given time out?
most behaviors are age appropriate, I fully understanding harming another child etc needs more discipline. Just want to get an idea of what things children do inappropriate that require time out?

You need to ask the preschool these questions. We aren’t there so can’t possibly know their policies.

ok, thanks for your response

We don’t generally use time outs where I work. If a child is being very aggressive we will remove them from the room for a few minutes until they have calmed down but that’s the only time. I know some places do use them but I think they’re a bit pointless, especially for trivial things. A lot of the time with pre-school children, unwanted behaviour is from frustration or wanting attention so sitting them on a chair and ignoring them for a few minutes doesn’t address that or teach them how to manage their own feelings.

The new manager seems to have little or perhaps to be fair, no recent experience of working in this type of setting,
At the moment, the Deputy and rest of the more experienced staff are helping her find her feet.
They sit the child/REN down in a quiet spot and have a chat about be kind, polite etc.

I dont like time out and I dont think our preschool did it. But I know school has a thinking chair.

Positive redirection, attention for a child that may have been upset by another’s behaviour, removing a child from an area they are misbehaving in.

Depends on the age of the child at what consequence has most impact but we don’t generally use time out in the way it’s done at home, redirection is usually effective for most children and removing attention for bad behaviour.

You need to ask to see their behaviour policy.

We use the naughty step at home (one minute for each year of the child's age).

At preschool I think they have "thinking time" in a place away from the other children. I think the last time they used it for DS he had kicked over some toys another child was playing with because he was angry about having to go and do a scheduled activity.

Our nursery says they use time out but what they actually mean is “time in” or “time away” as by their own description they either distract the child, move them to another activity, or take them to a quiet corner etc and then when they’re calm explain why we don’t do x y z. No child admonished or left alone.

A friend’s 16month old was put on a fricking naughty step at her nursery. I think that’s ridiculous.

Oh dear ! The nursersy where my LO goes part time are massive fans of it, it's their go to for anything from snatching to I don't know just not complying. We don't use Time Out at home so I've told them that and that i do not want my LO to go on it. I have offered to have a chat with them about alternative strategies etc. I've written emails to ask them to remind staff that i do not want it used however they've generally ignored me. I think it's because they're lazy, it's easy for them and lack of understanding toddler psychology and brain development etc. I haven't really pushed further as LO only attends two days some weeks and is going to a new nursersy from Seteomeber where they don't use Time Out.