Behold, The Naughty Chair

As Calvin reached a year and a half we found it necessary to introduce boundaries.

It's not okay, for example, to ram one's tractor into the bottom step while complaining wildly that it doesn't miraculously transport itself to the top. I understand his frustration, but there are more acceptable and effective ways to communicate it.

So we implemented the 'naughty chair', AKA 'time out'. We have a kid-sized chair in the corner of the dining room and another in a nook of the upstairs hallway. Both are away from distraction / entertainment, but within view of most points of interest surrounding it.

The first time I sat Calvin in his chair, he screamed bloody murder. I got down on his level, told him why he was there and that he would need to sit there until he could calm down. Then I turned around and folded laundry while he wallowed in my betrayal. But after about a minute, he stopped, and I returned to his side (and to his level) for a recap.

I told him, again, why he was in the chair (excessive whining and crying for juice) and that I was proud of him for calming himself down. I asked him to tell Mommy he was sorry. "Saw-ee" he repeated (to my knowledge this was the first time he used this word) and I told him that I loved him. "Uv-ooo", he repeated and we hugged.

Aha! Success!

Two hours later, when he rammed the tractor into the stairs, we returned to the chair and to the screaming. This didn't last long, however, and when he stopped crying he said, "all done?". We recapped the offense and talked about a better approach, he apologized, and we confirmed our love for each other before returning to life as usual.

We've had many unhappy returns to the naughty chair, averaging maybe once a day, but the concept makes sense to him. A warning to stop the bad behavior or you'll need to sit in the chair seems effective.

It didn't take Cal long to find the rhythm in the routine. Now when placed in the chair, he immediately starts shaking his head and saying, "noooo", as if to kick start my correction, and his release!

Amazingly, he stays put. If he's particularly spirited, he'll spin around in the chair, or turn around, putting his legs through the back. But he doesn't get up and leave ... yet. He tends to sit quietly, often with his hands folded in his lap, until I return for him (a minute or two later). Such a good naughty little boy.

Lately he's even taken to confessing before God ... at least when I point the camera in his direction.