Tubby Time-Out

Ethan acts up during baths and he thinks it's so funny. He stands up over and over and I harshly tell him to sit down over and over as I help him to his seat. Or he lays down over and over and I tell him to sit up over and over. I don't want him to slip and fall or get water in his ears, get swimmer's ear or something. I lift him up by the back of his head again and again and he laughs himself silly no matter how serious I try to look and sound. I have this fear of a "dry drowning" ever since I watched that Oprah episode of the 10 year old child who went swimming, unknowingly got water in his lungs and died hours later of suffocation. I can't imagine a tragedy like that. Actually, I imagine tragedies like that more often than anyone should. They say information is power, but information can also be terrifying.

If he slips and falls, gets water in his nose, or gets choked on water from his antics, it's very scary for him and me, and he immediately panics, stands up and wants his mommy. I would think that would teach him to heed his mother's warnings. But it doesn't.

Nothing I say upsets him, and none of my threats have any value. One time, I swatted his butt during his game, and he didn't even seem to notice. He just kept right on breaking tubby rules and laughing all the way.  A little red mark appeared on his little butt where I'd swatted him, and I felt terrible. I knew that had to have stung, but he didn't show it. Still laughing like a little hyena. Emma even joins in sometimes too. They are in the tubby and that's like home base. They seem to know that time-out is not happening because I can't just leave one in the tub alone or put them in the time-out crib soaking wet. And time-out after the bath doesn't happen either. I have to hurry and get their diapers back on and get them dressed before they pee all over the house. By the time I have them dressed, the time-out I promised in the tub is long forgotten or feels too removed from the incident.

Tonight I decided to try something new, a tubby time-out. He started his laying down game and I told him he's gonna get time-out in the tubby if he does it again. Of course, he did it again. So I lifted his head as usual, and slid him in his seated position to the corner of the tub and the wall. "Tubby time-out," I said. I held him in place with his nose in the corner for probably about 20 seconds. He cried and cried just like he does in regular time-out. I kept tubby-time-out shorter than regular time-out since I was having to hold him in place. I felt a little like a bully on the play ground as I did it. But he seemed to see after two tubby time-outs that Mommy was winning the game now and it was no longer fun. 

Mommy-1

Ethan-50

Game over. Mommy wins!