It totally depends on the situation and honestly, the child too. I have a guideline of rules and consequences but I firmly believe that sometimes you can not parent or provide care for all the children the same. For some children time outs work, for others taking a toy works better, for others they might be made to be last etc etc etc.

If it's an aggressive behaviour than it's an automatic time out and explanation of why we don't do that. I don't normally put children under 2 in time out, if they are this young and being aggressive than their time out is with me directly.

If it's doing something that I don't allow and they are a newer child or younger child they will likely get a couple warnings and the reason why we don't do it. If it's an older child or a child that has been here long and knows the rules than they get one warning(a reminder) and if it continues they are made to stop the behaviour or put the toy away.

I agree with the poster who said children are impulsive and they do sometimes forget in the heat of the moment or play activity. Yesterday, one of my 2 year old's hit another 2 year old in the face because she took her toy and almost instantly was saying "sorry, sorry, you okay?" She hit her out of frustration and I understood that. She still got a time out though but it would have been a much longer one had it been because she was being mean. Does that make sense? I know some won't agree with me though lol.

I do the counting to 3 if they are not following direction (clean up, time to go outside, put away art, come for diaper change etc). They all know that if I get to 3 there is a consequence. The consequence depends on what we are doing and what they are doing. If they are not listening for example and playing with toys than the toy is taken away.