Inquiry 3
1. Inquiry 3
Session 4: Guiding Children’s Behaviour
Inquiry 3: Alternatives to Time Out
Important: Always remember the following guidelines:
- Never use time out or isolation as a threat.
- Never humiliate a child in time out.
- Never use a set chair or corner for time out.
Sometimes children become over-stimulated, lose control, and get into situations where they need time to regain control. The child care provider can move the child away from the situation in order to give the child time to regain control, but the child should not be placed into a consequence called “time out.” Time out has often been used as a punishment and it has been learned that punishment does little to teach children appropriate behaviour.
Consider the following guidelines for removing a child from a situation:
- Redirect the child only when it appears the child has lost control. The purpose of the redirection is to give the child time to regain control.
- The child should be redirected to another area within the play space (e.g., reading centre)—not in a separate area—where the child cannot be bothered by others. To avoid any shame or humiliation, the location should not be a set “chair” or “corner.”
- Explain why you are moving the child. You could say, for example, “Billy, I want you to sit over here with me until you are ready to play with Sally without hitting. We cannot hit our friends because it can hurt them. We need to talk with our friends and use our words instead of hitting them.”
- Stay with the child and problem solve the situation. Be sure to follow the steps for problem solving outlined earlier in this session.
- When a child returns to the group, notice the child’s positive behaviour and encourage the behaviour.
Challenging and/or Difficult Behaviours
Important: If you are losing control, ask for assistance and then, if necessary, remove yourself from the situation.
Sometimes, regular guidance strategies do not seem to work and a child acts out in ways that are frustrating to the other children and/or to the child care providers. It is very important to get advice from your supervisor or program director when you are feeling frustrated.
Some difficult behaviours faced by child care providers are direct (like hitting, pushing, biting) while others are indirect (like bullying, ignoring rules). There are many reasons why a child may have challenging behaviour—it could be connected to a health problem, a family problem, or some other life events (like divorce) that are putting stress on the child.
Important: Physical punishment (such as hitting and spanking) and emotional neglect (such as humiliation, isolation, or withholding food, shelter, clothing, or bedding) is illegal and must never be used in a child care setting.
Most children respond well to the prevention and guidance techniques discussed in this session. Blaming yourself, the child, or the family isn’t productive or appropriate. Getting advice and support is appropriate—use the resources available to get support and assistance.