Not Time-Out, But Time-In
Good morning you handsome and gorgeous lot!
I made my girls a calming corner! What’s a calming corner? It’s a place to take a Time-In instead of a Time-Out, to teach my children emotional intelligence through conversation, sensory, love and conflict resolution. Just like with math, or reading, there is a fundamental foundation to emotional intelligence and management, and I plan to lay that foundation. So when a child is having a hard time (tripping), we invite them to join us or go by themselves for comfort and calming in the calming corner. We connect with the child and help them find coping strategies to identify and manage their big emotions and feelings. Then we allow them time to express those feelings when they are calm. Finally we problem solve solutions with them.
What Are the Benefits of Time-Ins?
- Time-Ins help kids learn to self regulate.
- They provide opportunities for them to learn to identify and explain their needs.
- They help them to think critically and emphatically about how their choices affect others.
- They allow them to opportunities to build problem solving skills for current and future situations.
- They teach them emotional intelligence.
Where Can I Get One?
As you all know, Crisean and I practice Positive Discipline with our girls. We don’t spank and we don’t do time outs (We try not to yell or pop at all but have been guilty a few times). This is one of our tools that we use. I got my Time-In Kit from Generation Mindful . The Kit includes:
> 5 faux-framed, sturdy posters for a Calming Corner (ready to hang!)
> PeaceMakers Mindfulness Cards
> My Feelings Card Deck featuring 32 different feelings (x2)
> “What Can I Do” Activity Mat with 12 calming strategies
> Meet The PeaceMakers Activity Mat with Reusable Clings
> Travel Time-In ToolKit Poster
> Digital Teacher’s Manual with reproducibles
I loved this toolkit because I didn’t have a lot of time when Paris and Riley were still going through diagnosis of Autism and all their therapy. Generation Mindful had everything was ready made in the concept I wanted to establish in my home. The peacemakers reflect the chakras which was so enduring and perfect to me. And it includes a travel version I can keep in my bag so the emotional intelligence lessons continue on my lap in public.
Where Can I Get One With Black Children?
Despite the Time-In being a well loved tool of conscious parenting, positive parenting, gentle parenting, and Positive Discipline, most resources don’t have Black children or they show the Black Children with negative emotions. Systemic socialized racism unconsciously appearing its ugly head.
Therefore, I made The Cool Calming Corner with all Black children of different shades for educators and parents. Representation does indeed matter, & Black children deserve to see children who look like them when practicing these positive concepts.
