Time Out!!!

Time out is a great discipline concept for some families.  In our family, it works great...if you can get the child to sit still.  We have tried sending them to their room - too many toys.  We have tried standing them in the corner - doorstops are a fascination like no other.  We have tried sitting them on the couch - just doesn't seem to make the point.


Then, a couple of weeks ago, I saw an idea on Pinterest for a time out chair.  As soon as I saw it, I knew we needed one in our house.  Now the one on there was professionally painted.  I am NOT a professional!  But I knew I could have some fun with it, and make something neat.  The kids now have a place to go for timeout, where they KNOW why they are there.

I started with just a plain wooden dining chair I picked up at Salvation Army.  When I went, I knew it needed to meet certain criteria - it had to be wooden.  Plastic is too light, and in a fit they would just tip over.  Plus, wood is easier to paint on.  It needed to be sturdy - no loose legs.  It had to be safe, after all!  Finally, no rockers.  Too much fun, plus little brother's fingers make a good target for rocking chairs.  I thought I'd look for a child size chair, but the 7 year old needs it just as much as the little ones, so bigger was better.  This is what I found.

Then I painted.  I already had a bunch of acrylic paints in the basement leftover from different murals in the kids' rooms, Jesse tree ornaments, and various other crafts. So, other than the chair itself, this project cost nothing.  Most of the colors took several coats.  Especially the blue.  For some reason that blue just did not want to look right!  Once I had the base coats on, I did the polka-dots, "zebra stripes", and some zig-zags on the legs (you can't see those in the picture - sorry!).

Then I did the writing on the seat.  It says "Timeout to think about the things that you do.  But always remember that I LOVE YOU!"  I admit it freely - I borrowed that phrasing from the chair I'd seen.  But it was perfect.  I used a font called Party.  Originally I thought I could find a way to trace the words, but I ended up free-handing it.  When it was done, it was a little (OK, a lot) off center, so I added the heart. Personally, I love the way it turned out.

Finally, I added the TIMEOUT to the back of the chair, and drew the hands on the clock.

It still needs a coat of something to seal it, but it's finished!  And just in time.  Both the 2 year old and 4 year old have used it this morning...