Parenting approaches have changed through the years, and one very popular discipline technique is currently the use of a time out.

In case you’re not familiar with what a time out involves, we’ll break it down for you. Basically, when a child disobeys, the consequence is that the child is put in “time out.” Some families have a special chair, bench or stool that is used for time outs, and the child must sit there for a specified amount of time. For other families, the child is simply sent to his or her room or another designated spot.

Time outs can be effective because they break the child away from the situation that was causing the stress, anxiety and misbehavior. However, they are not always effective, and they leave many parents and children feeling frustrated at times wondering if there is a more effective approach.

One mom has come up with an alternative to time outs that she shared with the world via TikTok. In the video, Nikki Mullen-Cruz explains that time outs weren’t working for her family, and instead she created what she is calling a “quiet corner” for her 6-year-old son.

The “cool down corner” has the effect of taking the child away from whatever was causing the misbehavior, but it is quite a bit different than a regular time out. First of all, the cool down corner is not the punishment. She shares that the punishment comes after a visit to the cool down corner and might be something along the lines of reduced tech time.

So, what is the cool down corner? From her pictures, it looks like a comfy spot to relax and take a deep breath. Basically, it’s a spot to calm down, and after creating one in a spot next to the couch in her living room, she has created several more around her home.

Watch the video below to learn more about the quiet corner and to see Mullen-Cruz’s video where she explains how she used it to help her son.

Are you going to create a cool down corner in your home? Do you currently use timeouts as punishments for your children? Do you find timeouts effective?