Serving a Time Out

To the people in cyber world out there reading our blog it may seem that our life is nothing but fun times with a well behaved toddler 100% of the time. Well we don't live in a fantasy land and it's the same world you all live in. I probably lose my temper more than most, am easy to frustrate, raise my voice and have good and bad days just like everyone does. I am the "intense" one in our home and Jeff is the laid back, go with the flow, why worry, calm and collected one. Our toddler is probably not the typical toddler as I really do feel he is better than most two year olds but he is a two year old and so that automatically means that toys are strewn throughout the house, tears are shed almost daily on his part, and there is an occasional tantrum and lots of not listening. Diapers are found in strange places that I happen to leave them laying around, beds are unmade, laundry is clean but not folded sitting in the basket for days but rarely you will see a little boy serving a time out. Yep that's what is pictured above. Hayden did something to warrant a 2 minute timeout. He doesn't get these often and most of the time it's for not listening to a warning such as no spitting or failing to follow directions or repeatedly throwing food on the floor. He serves his time surprisingly well. He has been known to send himself to time out. Mommy and Daddy both have gotten time outs as well. I threw a shoe into the TV room to get it out of the kitchen. Now this was not an angry throwing of objects but just a get these out of the way. Well we have a rule of no throwing inside and Hayden caught me throwing the shoes so I had to serve a time out. Jeff served a time out for the same reason as well. It's kinda cute cuz I will ask Hayden to pick up his toys and sometimes he won't. I then tell him if he doesn't help me pick up his toys then he will have to take a time out. He will choose a time out every time and then when his two minutes are up he will go and pick up all his toys. I am dreading the day when time outs turn into tears and not staying in his time out spot requiring me to repeatedly put him back in time out. For now when he gets a time out it's as if he has been stuck in the spot until I come and get him out. He doesn't move at all and then he says he's sorry and that's it.. time served.