What do you do when your 4-yr. old laughs about being put in time out?

Answer 1

ignore them, thats the point of time outs/naughty steps etc. they'll try different behaviours to try and get you to break the punishment but keep tyring you'll get there

Answer 2

I would laugh too. What kind of disipline is having a child sit in a chair for 2 minutes? I got spanked as a child and I was afraid to get spanked, so thats what taught me respect and not to talk back or else I would get a large hand to my butt. If my mom or dad had told me to sit in a chair, I really dont think i would have learned a thing, because how is that a punishment? i probably would have laughed at them and gone back to being bad about 5 minutes later. kids need to know whos boss, and parents need to step up and stop listening to the bull saying spanking is abuse - its not.

Answer 3

He wants you to think he does not mind being in time out, so that you will eventually give up. Children can be very minipulative. When you put him in time out for 4 minutes and he starts to laugh...just ignore him and act as if you cannot hear him or see him (unless he gets up). In time he will get the point that this tactic will not work with you. Eventually he will not do it because he sees no reaction from you.

Answer 4

Ignore the behavior as long as they are sitting in time out as you required. You can't totally control another person and even though it's a four year old they still have a sense of being a person. This will be useful as they grow up too. If you ask them to take out the garbage and they grumble, but take it out then just overlook the grumbles. It's not total control, but rather teaching them to follow the rules.

Answer 5

Set a timer. The rule is you sit quietly in time out TO THINK ABOUT YOUR BEHAVIOR. When the quiet is broken, the timer goes back to full time. I sat both of my girls on chairs facing each other and made them sit still for 60 minutes (they were 11 and 8 - considerably older than 4) because of bad behavior in church. I set it back to full time twice (total about 1 hour 10 min) but never had to use a time out for them ever again. They are both wonderful adults and mothers now.

Answer 6

Find other means of discipline. It is probably no longer effective. Try taking away certain priveleges or toys. By four years old many children are mature enough to understand that it is a short period of time. They can entertain themselves so it may just be that your child is too mature for time out.

Answer 7

That might be a good time to use some real discipline, like spanking.

She's laughing because come on.....time out IS a joke!!

Answer 8

Don't just sit a child down and tell them that they are now in time out. Let them know that time out will begin AFTER they are sitting still and being quiet. This small change will make a difference.

Answer 9

I laughed at my mom for grounding me once and she hit me with a wooden spoon (on my butt) and it broke. Of course, I laughed harder. I'm still grounded and that was over 30 years ago.

Guess you can't get away with wooden spoons any more, so I guess you ignore her, or maybe take away TV or a favorite toy.

Answer 10

I would try ignoring them. If that doesn't work you may want to consider a spanking. I am not saying bust out the wooden spoon but obviously time outs aren't punishment enough.

Answer 11

thats when its time for plan B. Plan B may involve taking away something that he enjoys playing with for atleast 24 hours. Remember to keep your word and not give in when he asks for his toy back, or he will just think your a joke. Give fair warning before he is about to loose his toy or priviledge.