The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently called for the complete ban of spanking as a disciplinary tool in the United States. According to their updated policy, spanking is ineffective in teaching a child responsibility and self-control and may cause harm to the child by increasing aggression and affecting normal brain development.

In its place, the AAP recommends various disciplinary methods like establishing a clear relationship between behavior and consequences, rewarding positive behavior, and using timeouts.

Time out as a disciplinary tool was conceived by child psychologists Montrose Wolfe and Arthur Statts. It’s short for “time out for positive reinforcement,” and is intended to be a “break” from fun, according to Camilo Ortiz, an associate professor of psychology, in his article for The Washington Post. Various studiesover the years have found it effective at reducing misbehavior in kids ages 2 to 6 years old.