Stages of a Toddler Time-Out

1 It all starts the same: your toddler tests you over and over with behavior they know doesn't fly with you.

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So you give them a first warning.

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2 The second warning likely comes shortly after . . .

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. . . if not using the trailing breath from the first warning.

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3 They finally get on your last nerve, knowing full well what they are doing.

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Time-out time.

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4 You send them over to their designated time-out area.

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Which likely has their butt print from the last time-out if it's been one of those days.

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5 They start spitefully giggling because they can see that you're PO'd.

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Though they don't truly understand the consequences of playing with your emotions while you are this ticked off.

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6 You tell them to sit down and be quiet for the allotted sentence.

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Though you know that they don't really know how to do that.

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7 They get up for the first time, and you just know this is going to be a process.

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Seriously, kid?

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8 You put them back into time-out and tell them to just calm down and sit.

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They comply, and you count down the seconds in your head until they get up again.

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9 They get up again.

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You knew it'd be about four seconds. Good guess, Mom.

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10 You start to get frustrated because you just want them to be quiet and serve their time.

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JUST. SIT. THERE.

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11 Once they're seated again, you tell them you're serious now.

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SO serious.

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12 You walk away from the time-out area to show you're for real about this.

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And they kind of freak out because they realize this isn't a drill.

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13 It now hits them that you're not joking, they're in trouble, and life is not fair.

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So not fair.

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14 Incoming: toddler tears.

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It begins slowly, and then all of a sudden they're in hysterics.

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15 You feel bad that they're crying and try to look away so you don't give in to their precious glistening tears.

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Ahhhh, but, it's so cute, OK, I can't. Ah. PLEASE DON'T CRY.

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16 You try to speed up this whole process by telling them to calm down and just explain why they're in a time-out to you.

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Once they tell you what they did wrong, apologies can be issued and this will all be behind you.

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17 But they can't stop crying now, and you start to feel really bad.

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Maybe a time-out wasn't necessary? What did they even do wrong again?

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18 In a last-ditch effort to make this experience worth something, you attempt to get through to that little crying babe once more.

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"PLEASE. JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WRONG AND SAY SORRY."

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19 And then you cave, because it's just easier.

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You know this isn't the most solid parenting, but you don't want to see your kid crying or upset, because that won't really solve anything in the long run anyway.

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20 But then, because they got away with it, your kid immediately goes back into brat mode.

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The cycle continues.

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Facepalm.

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