Self Discipline

Jenna has been giving herself time outs lately....

We've only needed to use the time out technique a handful of times with Jenna. Most of those times have been due to biting or hitting us when she's gotten frustrated. For lack of a better location, we take her to her crib and close the door. She screams for a minute and then listens for when you come back.

Last week we got home from our day near the dinner time hour. She went to the pantry door and got out a bag of chips telling me she wanted a snack. I walked toward her and told her that our dinner time would be soon and that we couldn't have chips now. As I took the bag away from her, she yelled "No! Don't take them!". I again told her that we'd have dinner soon and put them back in the pantry. That is it. No big deal in this life-with-a-toddler adventure.

When I returned to Jenna she was scowling and told me "needs time out" in a stern voice. Figuring I was the one in trouble for swiping her snack, I asked her "who needs a time out?". "Jenna needs time out." she replied still scowling.

um....okay.

I told her to go sit on the couch and think. (what was I supposed to say? I was absolutely stumped!)

She climbed up on the couch and sat for 2.2 seconds. No tears, no complaints. Then she told me she was all done. I asked her to come to me and give me a hug. She did and added a "I sowwy, Mommy". Then she backed up and looked at me and said "I'm alright?". I told her, "yes Jenna you're alright" and kissed her on the nose. She gave me a big smile and off she ran.


Fast forward to last night. While sitting together before bedtime, she inadvertantly whacked me in the face with her hand. After I said "ouch!" she told me she "needs to think" and then put her head down and snuggled into me. Thirty seconds later she lifted her head up and said "I sowwy, Mommy" and we resumed our routine.