Examine your goals.
- Are you trying to teach children to regulate their emotions and outbursts in a healthy manner? Or are you just trying to get them out of your hair for five minutes?
- Are you trying to encourage them to behave well in future situations? Or are you just trying to beat the bad behavior out of them?
If you answered yes to the first question in each of the two above bullet points, then you are using discipline. Good for you!
If you are just trying to get them out of your hair for five minutes, and you are trying to beat the bad behavior out of them by sending them to time-out, than you are using punishment.
Determine how you would proceed with the time-out.
- Will you use it before the situation gets out of hand? Or will wait until you can't take it any longer and scream at them to get into their room?
- Will you calmly take them by the hand and ask them to come with you for a break? Or will you just shout at them to get to their room?
If you decide to take them out of the situation before it gets out of hand, and offer them to go with you for a well needed 'break', then you are using discipline. Give your self a pat on the back.
If you decide that you will wait until the situation gets out of control and yell at them to get into their room, or you just decide to start shouting for them to get to their room, not only are you yelling a lot for no apparent reason, but you are using time-out as a punishment.
Figure out how you would end the time-out.