Time-out

Yesterday was the one of the first times I've had to put Ethan into a time-out (probably wont be the last). It's not because we don't discipline him, but because usually the threat of a time-out is enough to make him listen. I asked Ethan to pick up his Army men, which he had scattered throughout the living room and when he was finished we would go play outside. Ethan's favorite thing to do is play outside, and once he is outside it is almost impossible to get him to come back in. I told Ethan the deal was to pick up his Army men and we would go out. For some reason Ethan did not like the deal and presided to ignore me. That's when I threatened him with a time out. "Ethan Cameron, if you do not pick up your Army men right now you are going to be in a time-out!" I exclaimed to him in a stern voice. Still no response, so off to time-out his went for two minutes. "If your not going to listen, you get to stand in time-out and think about it!"
As he was in time-out I thought to myself, 'when did I become my mother? The use of the big first and middle name.' It was hard for my to keep my poseur. My husband and I had a little laugh between us, as I thought about the many times to come where I will have to turn into my mother. Oh dear!

And there stands my little guy in time out for two whole minutes. I have to say, the time-out did work! When his two minutes were up he sat right down and together we picked up the army men.