The mom’s alternative plan — creating the calming corner — is one that has been backed by psychologists and parenting experts who suggest that time out’s aren’t as effective as they pertain to be. Kids, it turns out, don’t have the cognitive skills to think abstractly about their behavior, what they’ve done, and why they did that thing. In fact, the ability to do that doesn’t fully develop until kids become teenagers, meaning that it’s certainly out of the grasp of 5-year-olds. Kids are actually far more likely to stay angry than reflecting on their emotions. Spaces like the one TikTok mom Maartemami made are more likely to help kids have practical tools to calm down, allowing them to make choices for themselves, and to regulate while not being deprived of sensory objects. If you want to make one of your own, Generation Mindful sells the “Time-In ToolKit” and calming corner that the TikTok mom utilizes are available online. Maartemami’s calming corner includes sensory toys, a chart to help her son regulate his emotions, fuzzy rugs, and a general space for him to meditate or play on his own until he brings down his emotions. Add that to consequences for behavior, which the mom says she does, and that’s a great discipline plan.
