The referee blows the whistle and signals a time-out for the team in red. The players sit in chairs and regroup before they can play again. You could ask yourself the same question when you call time-out for a child who's misbehaving. School-aged children are more likely to lose control during competitive games, when on the playground or when teasing between friends turns into verbal abuse. During these times, support children by remaining calm and helping the child regain control.
Calm talk works better than reasoning when tempers flare.
It also helps the child feel better about what has happened. Save reasoning for the calm after the storm. Many parents and caregivers probably misuse or overuse time-outs. Evaluate your use of this practice. Try to adjust disciplinary methods to the situation.