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Here are five mistakes you shouldn’t make:

1. Don’t make timeout fun. If your child has fun during a timeout he won’t think its punishment. Find the most boring spot in your house that won’t have any distractions. Good places would be like a corner in a hallway or a laundry room. If you can make the time out as boring as you can the better it is for the both of you.

2. Don’t give your child any attention during the timeout. Silence can speak more to him then you talking to him. Whatever you do don’t talk to your child at all, not even to nag at him. Your child will chose any attention over no attention. If your child starts protesting, don’t pay attention to him until after the timeout is over.

3. Don’t make empty threats. If you threaten to put your child in timeout make sure you follow through.

4. Don’t make timeouts too short or too long. A child under the age of three may not understand the reason for a timeout. If your child is under three just remove him from the situation. For your older child, timeouts should only last for one minute times their age. (3 minutes for a three-year-old, 4 minutes for a 4-year-old, and up to 5 minutes for your child 5 years and older).

5. Don’t be a pushover. If your child is refusing to go into his timeout place or doesn’t stay there for the whole time you have to be firm and say you’ll have to add another minute onto the time. Bring him back to the timeout spot but don’t engage in any discussions. Tell him he must stay there. If he still refuses take away the privilege and forget about the timeout.

I think in any of these situations the main thing that needs to be addressed is consistency. Make sure you do what you say you are going to do and do it. If you follow through every time you threaten life will be much easier because they won’t always be running all over you.