Timeouts

My parents are both therapists - father is a child psychologist, and I was a special Ed teacher.

Toddlers that age often use negative physical behaviors when they don’t have the language or tools to express their emotions or needs.

Timeouts, when used appropriately, are a very effective tool. It is supposed to be time to cool down, remove the child from a stressful situation to de-escalate, and reflect. With a child that young, it’s best to do more of a “guided” timeout since they can’t reflect on their own. Remove them from the physical space where the negative behaviors are happening, give them a chance to cool off. Then, if they have to tools to - talk about what happened and what they could have done instead. Keep in mind that a child that age does not have the language and emotional intelligence to fully dive into a discussion, and to keep any talk you have very brief.

If you create a space, I’d think about it more in a calming sense than punishment. Instead of a chair in the corner, I’d carve out a space with a few things (not toys) that your toddler likes… bean bag, some sensory things (you could bring these with you when you’re on the go and need to calm)