Your child has misbehaved and a timeout is in order. But beware: the way you handle that timeout session could backfire on you. 

Dr. Bruce Berget, a pediatrician on the medical staff of The Children's Hospital,  says, “I start timeouts even as young as one year of age and I tell parents, “We don’t want to overuse timeout.”

He says how you treat the child during a timeout can also teach a valuable behavioral lesson. “If the child bites you and hurts mom, you would say ‘Johnny, no. This is your timeout chair.’ You sit them down in the chair, you make very intense eye contact. ’This is your timeout chair. You have to sit here until you are a good boy and not bite mom.’”

A warning to parents: don’t fall into the crying trap. “The child will usually start to cry because of the intensity of your facial expressions and your voice. They will usually stay seated to get at least one cry out, so while they cry you start walking away.”

Dr. Berget says this sends a clear message to the child. “You don’t want to make eye contact with the child, when they’re in timeout. You don’t want to talk to the child; you don’t want to acknowledge they exist.”

So, how long should a child remain in timeout? That’s up to you. Dr. Berget suggests setting a buzzer or a timer and telling the child that until that buzzer sounds, there is to be no movement or sound.

If timeouts don’t work, you may want to consult your pediatrician for other strategies and tactics.