naughty step

**terrydoo73** · 09-11-2009, 05:58 PM

Do you have one in your setting?

Mum of my mindees came today and asked her little girl "Does J not have a naughty step for you?"

Personally I don't have one - I always use my couch as a time out to calm this particular child down - no amount of telling her off, explaining etc works as she is a rather attention seeking child and tempts her brother no end leaving him crying or in a tantrum.

Would love to have your opinions ...

**miffy** · 09-11-2009, 06:06 PM

No, I don't have a naughty step.

If I needed to do "time out" then it would be sitting on a small chair in the kitchen with nothing to do. Thankfully, don't have to do that very often

Miffy xx

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 09-11-2009, 06:07 PM

A lot of parents use the naughty step and I only use it when I am asked to.

I let tantrums take place where ever they child may be, often walking away to a different room

All children respond differently and so we have different methods.

If you use the couch as a time out place do the mindees settle there for tv/story time or are they still itching to get up again?

**Curly Quavers** · 09-11-2009, 06:08 PM

I have only ever had to use my bottom step for a biter and that has long passed and LO not been on it in Months. I do think the punishment (I know we don't like that word) should match the crime, So children only find themself on my step when they have been physically violent to somebody else.

I hope that makes some sense.

**Pudding Girl** · 09-11-2009, 06:22 PM

No i don't have a naughty step, was told CC don't like it at my pre reg insp.

I just time out any offenders next to me where ever I am, they have to sit next to me for x minutes.

**Curly Quavers** · 09-11-2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Pudding Girl

No i don't have a naughty step, was told CC don't like it at my pre reg insp.

I just time out any offenders next to me where ever I am, they have to sit next to me for x minutes.

I think I did hear that as well, but this is one thing I feel strongly about. (only when it comes to violence though)

**madasahatter** · 09-11-2009, 06:30 PM

No I don't have a naughty step either. Our stairs go up the middle of the house and they are 'protected' by a door. I would either have to leave the door open and risk younger children going upstairs or close the door and not be able to see the child......either way a definate no go for me. I use a chair/sofa which ever is the handiest at the time.
Had to use time out for the first time in months today, when an argument between my 3 yr old mindees resulted in a bite (very unusual, but duly recorded and reported to parents)

**Playmate** · 09-11-2009, 06:32 PM

We use our bottom stair for time out, but it is not referred to as the naughty step. Most of our children would see sitting next to us for time out as a reward

**Curly Quavers** · 09-11-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Sally McGeown

Most of our children would see sitting next to us for time out as a reward

That would be the same here and confuse everybody!

**Alibali** · 09-11-2009, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Pudding Girl

No i don't have a naughty step, was told CC don't like it at my pre reg insp.

I just time out any offenders next to me where ever I am, they have to sit next to me for x minutes.

This is what I do, but we have 'thinking time' and it's not on my knee, usually on the floor.

**DIPPY DOUGHNUT** · 09-11-2009, 07:06 PM

Before i was childminding i used the bottom step for time out for my eldest daughter.

The parents of one of the children i mind uses the time out spot. So i now do the same for him and both of mine. This works for the minded child because he has the consistency of home and at mine and it works for my two to!

I like the time out spot as you can have it anywhere, wether its the shops, park, etc.

**daisyboo1980** · 09-11-2009, 07:09 PM

i have a red circle of carpet from ikea that i use for time out / thinking time

**The Juggler** · 09-11-2009, 07:10 PM

no we have thinking time in flexible places. however, if a parent wanted me to use it for continuity I think I would have to persuade them to change their step to a thinking step/calm down area.

**Merry-Minder** · 09-11-2009, 07:16 PM

I havent had to use one as my mindees are too young, but I used to and still do for my children, and its always worked really well, however, we dont call it a naughty step.

**Noodles** · 09-11-2009, 07:25 PM

I have a time out step on the bottom stair but thankfully it doesnt get used very often

**AnnieM** · 09-11-2009, 07:43 PM

I have a time out spot, same as someone else, it is a round red mat from ikea.

**wendywu** · 09-11-2009, 07:51 PM

I thought that Ofsted dont like a specific place to be a naughty place. You can give them time out away from the others but not in the same place all the time. It humiliates them.

**helenlc** · 09-11-2009, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Sally McGeown

We use our bottom stair for time out, but it is not referred to as the naughty step. Most of our children would see sitting next to us for time out as a reward

Same here!!

**candy cat** · 09-11-2009, 08:33 PM

I was led to believe we were not to use the word 'naughty'......i will use a 'time out' place when my daughter understands.

**beckyteddy** · 09-11-2009, 10:35 PM

I put my own son on our bottom step quite reguarly, his speciality is doing lots of purposefully "naughty" things over a 10 or 15 min period, no one thing is bad enough for a full on teling off, it's more a culmination of lots of little things that needs to be halted because he knows he is being awkard and unkind.

I have never called it the naughty step and I don't use the word naughty when refering to the offending behaviour, I just refer to it as the step and ask him to stop being a bully or to stop being rough etc. otherwise I will have to sit him on the step so that he can't do whatever it is he is doing anymore, if he doesn't stop of his own accord. However all my kids/mindees call it "the naughty step", where do they get it from?