• If your child is younger than 2 years old, use distraction or redirection. NEVER use a time-out or Thinking Time, they are simply too young to understand this concept.

• Give warning first/good eye contact

• Ask if what they are doing is “okay” or “not okay”

• If they don’t calm down or stop unacceptable behavior, then ask child go to “Quieting Area” or “Thinking Area.”  You sit with them and offer assistance and love. Remember, this is not a punishment.

• Time is not important, having them calm down is.  (Disregard the age per minute stance)  Don’t give a 5 year old “five minutes to think,” sometimes the older child only needs a few seconds to come up with a better solution, and we need to respect that.  A young child may need you to cuddle them or sit with them for 10 minutes until they are calm.

• Once they are calm, ask them to tell you “what went wrong.” Clearly state the problem if they don’t.

• Ask them “what will you do differently next time?” Give them the expected behavior if they don’t know.

• Thank them for helping come up with a solution.

• Set the expectation by wrapping it up with, “If you don’t listen next time what will happen?”