Time-outs have come under criticism lately.
Once the go-to technique of parenting experts telling us how to discipline our children, time-outs are now more and more being viewed as punitive and not the best way to go about things.
A couple of weeks back, TikTok user, Maarte Mami went viral because she stopped doing time outs and set up a “calming corner” for her son in her living room. The corner was a full-on sensory experience, including a soft rug with cosy pillows and toys for relaxation and play.
“After about a year I made a choice to do away with time outs because there are such big emotions that lead up to timeouts, and it didn’t seem effective to me to leave my son to sit alone with these big, scary emotions,” the TikToker explains.
@maartemami Explore alternatives such as this to the traditional “timeout”#mom #mentalhealth #calm #peace #kids #timeout #tiktokpartner #learnontiktok #love
What Mami did, was that instead of time out being the consequence to a behaviour, the calming corner instead allows her son to regulate his own emotions and behaviours in a healthy way.
“This gives him a super comfy, safe space as an outlet to reflect, centre his mind, process his thoughts, and regulate his emotions. The calming corner allows him to do this because he can meditate, do breathing exercises, or just sit and relax and calm himself via the tools that appeal to his five senses.”
Let us know – have you ever considered using this method? Are you still using time-outs? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @herfamilydotie
