Very young children should not be isolated, nor should they be ignored or left without proper stimulation. Infants or young toddlers who do not understand why their behavior is unacceptable should gently be directed to more acceptable behaviors or activities. Your expectations of a child's behavior are realistic. A general knowledge of child development will help you identify when children are merely experimenting with their boundaries and when they are behaving inappropriately. When adults give children realistic goals, children feel good about themselves and are more likely to cope successfully with stressful situations.
Consequences immediately follow the child's behavior.
When children experience immediate repercussions for harming others, they understand more clearly why we are disciplining them. Time-out should not be humiliating, nor should it make children feel threatened or afraid. Adults should never make a child feel ridiculed or isolated during time-out periods. The child should not be left alone, unless he wants to be. Young children need adults' support to work out their feelings.