Now I'm in a time-out
Elias will be 3 next month. I'm hoping the Terrible Twos will end, miraculously, when he's no longer two.
When he doesn't get his way, he has recently started to put me into a time-out. He does this with as much authority as he thinks he has, ordering his brother, his father, and even his grandma into a time-out as well.
I also hear echoes of my own admonishments when he responds, "Didn't I tell you to go to your room?" Something tells me I've been doing a little too much yelling.
So I have to try to dial it back. But I still don't know what the appropriate response is when he tells me I've been put in time-out. Any suggestions?
Comments
Good luck on that... My DD's "terrible twos" started at 11 months. She turned 4 a month ago. I am still waiting for the "terrible twos" to end. I am in denial that this just might be her personality.
If he is putting you in time out for a reason that is similar to a reason he is normally put in time out then I would agree to the time out. Ex: If "bad words" are time out offense and he caught you using a "bad word" then I would set an example and take my time out.
The reason for this is that most of the rules my daughter has can be considered house rules - so what is good for the goose is good for the gander. The only rules my daughter might have that don't apply to mommy and daddy are safety type rules.
Now if it's just a power struggle/attitude thing (I will order mommy around because she orders me around). Then I would, in the simplest terms possible, explain that mommy & daddy set the rules in our house, not him.
Blame it on the "house" rules if you have to: Elias tells you to go to time out because of "xyz", say mommy does not have to go to timeout because "xyz" is not a rule that mommy and daddy have made for this household. Mommy and daddy set the rules not Elias.
Posted by: Erin | May 19, 2008 2:32 PM