First thing is first, you need to remove the child from the situation he or she is in to prevent it from going any further. In the situation above, perhaps taking the snack food that they want out of their view or reach. Toddlers need to realize that you are not punishing them for their behavior, but rather giving them a chance to understand why you are upset. Place them in a part of the home where there is no distractions, this includes you. You do not want to reinforce the behavior, but instead give them a chance to calm down.
Because you are dealing with a toddler, you need to keep in mind that toddlers have a very short attention span. The time-out method will probably not work on a child that is under 3 years of age. If this is the case for you, you can try an alternative, such as taking a time-out with your toddler and do something quite such as reading a book or talking in quietly to one another.
If you feel your toddler can understand directions and is able to sit still for a time-out, remember to tell him or her why you are giving them the time out. Don’t just call a time-out without giving them the explanation. For example, “When you do not eat your lunch, you cannot have a snack. Mommy does not like it when you throw a temper tantrum and that is why you are getting a time-out. You need to sit here and calm down.”
When the need does arise for a time out, there is no need to place them in the “naughty” chair or take them to some far off place in the house. You can just have them sit right where they are. However, if putting them in an area of the home that is away from distractions works better for you and your child, then by all means place them in that area. However, don’t solely use that area for time-out purposes as that will make the child not like or fear that portion of your home.
Toddlers also don’t need to sit for a long periods of time. They only need to sit long enough to calm down and focus their attention on something else. Generally thirty seconds to a minute is plenty of time. Perhaps have them say their ABC’s or count to ten.
Keep in mind that you are dealing with a toddler. Toddlers are curious in nature and will get in to stuff that they are not supposed to and the will also test their limits with mom and dad. With this in mind, use the time-out method for when they are acting or behaving in a way that you have told them many times not to do. Don’t use the time-out method for the toddler who is exploring the world and might do something and not know it is wrong. The time-out method may not work the first or second or even third time you try it, but eventually it will work. But also make sure to praise your child for those times that your child does listen to you or does something that you like. This will also help you enforce the good behavior and show that you are proud of them. Positive reinforcement can consist of things like a hug or a cookie.
Above all, let your toddler know that you are not mad or angry at them, but you dislike their behavior. Getting mad at them might scare them and that is not going to get your point across. That will just make them afraid of you or not want to be around you. Even when you are putting your child in time-out, let them know that you love them.