Noel Janis-Norton

“If your son does not start to stop within five or ten seconds of your giving a direct instruction, then you need to take immediate action. Of course we feel completely comfortable about taking immediate action when a child’s safety is in danger or when it looks as if property is about to be damaged. Following through immediately with action is just as important when the issue is not safety, but cooperation. The action that you will take will usually be either removing an object from the child or removing the child from the situation. As soon as you make a move to follow through with immediate action, your son will probably see that you mean what you say so he will start to stop. Reinforce his cooperation by following through with Descriptive Praise. If you are feeling annoyed that the initial misbehaviour made you late, it may not be easy to sound pleased. Remember that your son has not yet developed good habits, and it is our job as parents to teach and train the habits we want to see. It won’t happen overnight.”
― Noel Janis-Norton, Calmer, Easier, Happier Boys: The revolutionary programme that transforms family life

“Sitting apart. Sitting apart is a very effective consequence for impulsive misbehaviour that still remains even after you have been doing lots of Descriptive Praise, think-throughs, rewards for being sensible and action replays. Sitting apart is similar in some ways to a time-out, but instead of banishing your son to another room, which children often find very upsetting, it takes place in the room where you are. Your son needs to sit exactly where and how you tell him to, with no misbehaving and no crying or even talking, for the number of minutes of his age. If he gets up, put him back and step away so that he sees that it is his job to stay in the sitting apart place, not your job to hold him there. Then start the timer from zero again. A sitting apart is a learning experience because you are on hand to Descriptively Praise and Reflectively Listen. Other than that, don’t talk to him. His natural desire to interact with you will help him to control himself to get to the end of the sitting apart.”
― Noel Janis-Norton, Calmer, Easier, Happier Boys: The revolutionary programme that transforms family life