jerk!” there would be an automatic 3 and the girl would be off to her
room for a longer time-out.
Is ignoring the child’s badgering an option? Perhaps, if (1) the
child quickly gets the message and drops the issue and if (2) the
parent can stand it. But in general—and especially in the beginning—
counting is best.
The Benefits of Counting
There are a lot of benefits to using the 1-2-3 program to manage
difficult childhood behavior. Here are just a few of them.
Energy Savings!
The 1-2-3 method will save you a lot of breath—and a lot of
aggravation. Parents and teachers say counting makes discipline a
whole lot less exhausting. Give one explanation, if absolutely
necessary, and then count. No extra talking and no extra emotion. You
stay calmer and you feel better—about your child and yourself—
when you get a good response at 1 or 2.
When is an explanation or more talking absolutely necessary? In
those instances when the problem involved is something new that the
child does not understand, when his behavior was unusual or
dangerous, or when you really need more information from him about
what happened.
Here’s an example. Your seven-year-old son has been learning
trampoline in gym class and he loves it. After school he comes home,
takes off his shoes, and attacks the couch in the living room. He’s
jumping up and down and trying to do flips. You enter the room, see
what’s going on, and are somewhat startled. You say, “That’s 1.”
Your son says, “What did I do?”