your girl is not to young to understand the meaning of going to her cot. She will learn that when she does something that is inappropriate concerning her behaviour that that will be her punishment. She will learn. Warning her first is good and if she insists on doing it then follow through on your threat to put her in time out. When she has calmed down from screaming then explain she may hop out and explain why she was put in there in the first place.

Thank you for responding. She's doing much better and we've noticed the screaming occurs the most when she's over tired, or when she thinks she needs to compete for attention. Especially when my husband just gets home from work! Again, thanks for getting back to me!

It took me years to figure out that when my daughter was tired she was fussy and reactive. She has probably always had some difficulty settling down and going to sleep at night. So in kindergarten she napped when she shouldn't...and later came in from school and went to sleep. Her dad wouldn't enforce a bedtime and usurped my authority be letting her watch tv whenever he handled bedtime. Said he enjoyed her company. She's 15 now and still a meanie when sleep-deprived.