A technique in which a child is removed from activity and forced to sit alone for a few minutes, in order to calm down.

The time-out has become an increasingly popular method of dealing with children's inappropriate behavior. If a child becomes too aggressive or angry, the parent or caregiver may remove the child from the upsetting situation. Parents may have a special place in the home for time-outs—in the child's room, in a certain chair, or on a rug in an out-of-the-way place. The child may be allowed to end the time-out when he or she is ready or told to stay in the time-out place for a specific length of time. The time should be very short—a couple of minutes—as most young children cannot easily comprehend longer time spans.

The time-out is not used as a punishment so much as a...