Whoever invented the naughty corner needs to be taken to one side and shot.

My boy is now 19 months old and has decided very early on that he will not listen to a single thing I or anyone else says.

'Put him in the naughty corner' they said, 'That will sort him out.' So being the modern parenting kind of guy I decided to follow the advice.

First you need to designate a naughty corner.

In my home, after a unanimous vote, we picked that bit between the front door and main hallway.

The naughty corner, for what it's worth, seemed to work at first.

Whenever he did something wrong he was marched off to the naughty corner.

He quickly realised that his crimes would be punished.

Pull the TV socket out - naughty corner. Draw on the wallpaper - naughty corner.

Hit his sister - naughty corner. The list was growing.

That was until he realised that by crying the house down and pausing to look through the glass every now and then would eventually get himself out of the naughty corner.

There is only so much crying a human being can take.

Sooner or later you begin to lose your mind and return to the naughty corner to set him free. For doing this I was put in the naughty corner by a higher power.

I can never remember there being a naughty corner when I was a kid.

In fact there was no need for a naughty corner. Hey, I was as naughty as the next kid but the slipper would soon set me straight.

That slipper would find me wherever I was hiding and could go round ninety-degree angles sometimes.

Not that I am condoning the slipper in anyway. In fact, who cares that the slipper set me straight and I only grew up to hate size five shoes.

Most of the time a stern look was all it took. I have practised my stern look in the mirror for months but it just doesn't have the same affect.

I know there will be those who feel that the naughty corner is the best invention since halal panini.

It must have been invented for a reason - to show the kid who's boss.

But I am quickly finding out it may be doing the complete opposite.