The best location for a break is a place away from any activity or stimulation. This allows the child to focus on the offense instead of on parental anger. It’s important for you to remain calm and matter-of-fact as you progress through the process. You need to take a Break on that blue chair until you settle down and are ready to talk with me.” 2. Stay calmĪ parent’s emotions can turn a discipline time into a volatile argument. Take a Break in the doorway here, and come and see me when you’re ready to talk about this.” Or, “Sara, that attitude is not helpful. You might simply say, “Tyler, that was unkind.

1. Quickly begin the break after misbehavior Here 4 ways to use a break instead of a timeout. That truth alone makes a break the better approach. The concept of a break shifts the responsibility from parental control to the child’s repentance. How refreshing that is for us whose children require a lot of discipline. During a break, the parent’s role is similar to that of the prodigal son’s father, who waited with open arms for the child to return. The parent’s role is that of a police officer, to keep that child in time out until the sentence is served. The child is then motivated to repent in order to return to the benefits of family life.ĭuring a timeout, a child serves a sentence for a crime committed. When a child takes a break, the separation means missing out. A “break” is a more valuable technique because it focuses on the heart and teaches children a more accurate picture of reality. Furthermore, the isolation can appear to force children away from the parent’s love. Expecting children to solve problems alone is unrealistic. Typically timeout is a term used for isolating a child for a set period of time as a punishment for doing wrong, and it can be counterproductive to the discipline process. Many mothers have a hard time with “time out,” and for good reasons.

Time out punishment