Benefits of Whining

We aren't big on spanking.  We regularly use time-out as punishment for our children.  Time-out, away from family, friends, toys, books, etc.  1 minute for every year of their age.  When Brandon was little, before he could calculate how much time he had left, he would say "Mommy, can I come out yet?"  He would ask this every 2 minutes, sometimes yelling it, sometimes quietly asking, or sometimes whining.  It drove me up a flipping wall.  I used to say back to him "I'll tell you when it's time to come out!"  

Now we use the same method with Madison.  She is now 8.  So when she does wrong, she has to sit on her bed without toys or books or music, with her bedroom door closed for 8 minutes.  Where Brandon cried, kicked, screamed.......she just hangs her head and quietly walks to her bed.  She sits down and quietly takes her punishment.  Great!  What an improvement over the fights we had with Brandon.  I realize now that it was a good thing Brandon asked every 2 minutes.  I have a short attention span. (compare me to Dory from "Finding Nemo") I am ashamed to admit it, but when Madison takes her punishment so quietly, I start doing something else, and - 8 minutes later- I have forgotten that she is on her bed rather than outside or playing with Barbies on her bedroom floor.  How awful for a parent to forget that her child is sitting on her bed, patiently waiting to be released!!!  Awful!  Have no fear, I have not left her on her bed for hours at a time.  Merely a few minutes longer than intended.  But it makes me feel like a horrible parent.