This Mindfulness Mom's Timeout Replacement Has TikTok Hooked

For mom Nikki Mullen-Cruz, timeouts just weren't working. She didn't like leaving her son Kalev alone "to sit with these big, scary emotions." Instead, she not only created a space that was more effective for her son, but one that swept across millions of TikTokers' pages and won heaps of praise from parents and non-parents alike. It was a little area next to her couch, called "the calming corner."

Here Kalev was able to take breaks, manage his emotions, and then deal with consequences later. The soft, comfortable area became an outlet for him to calm himself with various tools that appeal to his five senses. He can also meditate or do breathing exercises, which are both things this precocious kid totally loves! You have to see him explain it all in the video above.

Nikki was candid about her evolution as a parent, from believing in a more "tiger mom" philosophy early on to finding that mindful, positive parenting has had a more beneficial effect on Kalev. She told us about how she developed this approach, and she also gave advice to parents who may want to adopt this methodology in their own homes. Mindfulness is certainly not just for kids, though, and Nikki also revealed how adults (even busy ones) can incorporate this practice into their own lives, with dramatic results.

A massive thank you Nikki — who goes by @maartemami on TikTok — for passing along all this incredible footage and generously sharing her insight into mindful parenting with us! You can also follow her on Instagram and keep up with her positive parenting journey on her blog. And a special thank you to Kalev for being so open about himself and the calming corner!

POPSUGAR's I Kid You Not is a series dedicated to the funniest, most adorable kid moments that will definitely have you smiling! Check us out on Facebook for new episodes every week.

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