A Naughty Idea
I’d hate for one of my first posts to be so negative, but this product gives me the heebie-jeebies in all those ways that push me to rant write. Mom’s on Edge features the Naughty Spot Time Out Mat For Tots. Well, I have my own opinions about the actual effectiveness of the typical Time Out (and by typical I mean the way they usually happen, not the way we claim they come about), but this product takes it one step further and in my opinion is completely unnessesary.
It’s one thing to ask your child to take some time away, to think about the incident, to gain their composure, then to return for a discussion. It is quite another to lay out a mat with a pouty face and send them to sit there as punnishment. Really, I mean sitting on a frowning face, let’s not forget to scold them for pouting when they’re there!
I’m not arguing the need for consistence, nor am I arguing the benefits of taking time away from a situation in order to compose yourself, but the timer feature basically affirms it’s use as a punishment. The time out is then not tied to the child’s need for space or reflection (a time that is not something that can just be set) but to a preset punishment.
This might work short term, but if it’s your “can’t live without” tool then it’s obviously not working.
April 8th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Yeah…I’m not comfortable with that either. Are you supposed to turn it over to the “I love you” side when the time-out is done? Because that’s worse. Like - ‘Now that you’ve done your time, I love you again!’ Eek…
June 10th, 2009 at 5:40 am
Havent visited this blog in quite a while, glad I decided to drop in today cause you’ve been busy. Keep up the good work!