Self-imposed time out

Today I was making lunch and Joey kept trying to get into the kitchen cabinets. I am really over him "cleaning" out my cabinets multiple times a day EVERY day so I have started discouraging him from doing this. After multiple "no-no Joe"'s I got down to his eye level and said "Joe. No! No! Do not get in mommy's cabinets or you are going to time out." Joey made a pitiful little face and ran out of the kitchen. I continued making lunch and Ben started laughing and pointed into the family room to the "time out corner" where sweet little Joe Joe was sitting quietly. I started laughing too and finally Joe broke out into a big grin. Ben and I told him he was a silly goose and that he could get out of time out. He happily ran back into the kitchen and ate his lunch. It happened again later this afternoon Ben and Joe were playing and Ben got hit in the head with a ball. He freaked out and said "that's it, Joe. Go to time out!" Obedient Joe headed back to the corner! Perhaps we have found our perfect mode of discipline (at least for now) as long as we can keep Ben from abusing it and Joe from punishing himself too often!