Good education & happy childhood as prevention for future problems
Children with serious family problems in early childhood are set up for future problems in life, truancy, crime, general disrespect for law and authority, leaning failures, .Super Nanny’s work creates happiness in unhappy families, prevents children from becoming uneducated, disrepectful, future criminals, future bad parents and just generally unhappy.
Human-Stupidity.com puts this up as a positive example that cures unnecessary suffering for entire families and prevents future crime and stupidity. This is anti-stupidity, creating families where love and intelligence get nourished.
Super Nanny shows families & children with very serious disciplinary problems. Her main technique is the non-violent “naughty zone”, like a “naughty chair”, “naughty mat”, “naughty room” where kids get a time out. Now the main problem is:
How to make a totally unruly child to stay on a time-out “naughty chair” for the first time?
Youtube postings of super nanny normally consist of a series of about 7 parts. We just pick the one part relevant to the start of naughty chair discipline, for studies. Feel free to see the other 6 clips to get an idea of the misbehavior of the children to appreciate the miracle of getting them to obey to this disciplinary method. Watch the following 10 videos to get the real impact and understanding of how the discipline works.
Essential elements of the time-out naughty corner|mat|room|chair technique
- learn firm dominant voice and attitude
- give prior warning
- make child understand what it did wrong before putting it in the naughty room/corner/mat (for 1 minute per year of age of child)
- be absolutely firm: if child leaves before time is over, it has to start all over.
- The very first time the absolutely crucial part. I think it only works because of Super-Nanny’s authority and presence. Once a child accepts authority and stays at a time-out, 90% of the problem is solved. Super Nanny’s teachings about firmness, clarity, justness etc are absolutely vital.
- at the end, make the child say “sorry”
- loving treatment when the child behaves well and after saying “sorry”
I cringe a little bit, because this technique can, of course, be abused by selfish, inconsistent parents to train and manipulate their children. What about the creative rebellious genius? Time-out for denying the truth of the Bible! Time-out for moving around, running, playing like a normal natural child!
But there is no anti-dote against parental limitations. Parents should have psychological maturity and stability to know which discipline is necessary and positive. Super Nanny shows tools, they can be abused. The examples shown certainly involve unhappy brats in dire need of being put into their places, and parental education is part of her work.
Time-out or careful slapping?
It seems to me that “time-out” is not the essence of this educational success. Observing the above points 1-7 is important together with some sensible punishment. Humane slaps with the same firmness, admonishments and explanations like 1-7 above probably work just as well. Slaps might actually work if children can not be kept on the “naughty chair”. But this is not politically correct. Sorry. Time-out for me!