How Effective Is Time-Out???

Terrible Two's, how bad can they really be??? Well, we are at just the beginning and I am already feeling mentally exhausted. Each day is a battle of wills between two incredibly stubborn people. I think that I may have met my match!!!

Not that Beau and I are really strict, but we are trying to work in some manners and listening. So, we have incorporated "time-out" into our routine as well. I know that we are talking about a two year old, but she understands the concept. 

We have worked in please, thank you, and your welcome as common language. Gabriella is also getting better at listening. But, when there is something that she wants to do (i.e play outside, not ride in her car seat, play the "no" game) there is no reasoning with Gabriella.  

About the "NO game": 

Her game of choice at the moment is what we call the "no game." Gabriella says she doesn't want to do something and then gets REALLY upset when you don't do it. Example, I say "Lets go downstairs" and she says "NO," with a wag of the finger. After another request and another "NO" I proceed to go downstairs at which point Gabriella screams and cries that she is not coming with me. Does that make any sense to anyone? I'm sure that is common practice with kids, but holy cow!!! 

So you may be asking, "How well is time out working with a stubborn 2 year old?" Here is a short video:

This was Gabriella, in time-out, after not listening at the dinner table and throwing food at Beau, because he asked her to sit down. She moved over just enough where we couldn't see her. When we heard laughing rather than crying, I walked into the kitchen and caught her dancing!!! Did you notice how she caught the beat halfway through?