Timeout (updated)

Well, we seem to be entering the terrible twos a little ahead of schedule (4 months ahead to be exact). Austin is quickly becoming a master of manipulation and defiance. As a result, the number of timeouts that he receives has increased dramatically. Prior to this week, he was averaging maybe one or two timeouts a week. This week, he is averaging 3 to 4 a day! I have been in the market for a "timeout chair" for a while, but since it wasn't much of an issue prior to this week, I was taking my sweet time getting one. So, as an alternative, we have been designating a certain corner of the floor as his timeout spot. This afternoon, Austin disobeyed me and unplugged a chord in order to plug in the stereo (He has been told hundreds of times not to touch outlets or chords and to just ask me if he wants to listen to music and let me do it for him - I had already reminded him a dozen times today alone). So, I put him in timeout, explained why he was there and told him to keep his bottom on the floor until I told him that he could get up. Well, apparently he spotted a loophole. He kept his bottom on the floor and proceeded to scoot on his bottom across the floor. As I fought back the laughter and maintained my stern face, I put him back in the corner and explained to him that he was not allowed to scoot on his bottom when in time out. Apparently that left a loophole as well, because he then flipped over to his stomach and began scooting across the floor on it. At this point, I just had to put him back in the corner and leave the room so that he would see me smiling. I will definitely be purchasing a timeout chair tomorrow. I am afraid to find out what loopholes he will find with that one. ;-)

Addendum: I went to Target this morning and purchased a little stool to use as a timeout chair. The problem is, Austin LOVES it. He thinks that it so neat and takes every chance he gets to sit on it. He even took the time to show his farmer how to properly sit on the timeout stool. A little while ago, I told him to go to timeout for disobeying, and he ran to it grinning ear to ear. (I am guessing that timeout loses its effectiveness when the child is excited about being placed in timeout ;-)