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'TIME OUT' Becomes 'TIME IN'
By Staff Writer

Traditional 'time out' is not working, according to, Sandra Sedgbeer, the Editor-in-Chief of 'Inspired Parenting.' Sedgbeer has united with CEO of CosmiKids, Judy Julin and together they are on a mission to improve parenting skills and end childhood stress.

Julin and Sedgbeer are dismayed by the growth in childhood depression, obesity and suicide, along with the alarming increase in behavioral problems and violence among children. Today's teens no longer know how to handle their feelings, control their anger, relate to peers or authority figures or have the resilience to weather life's ups and downs.

'TIME OUT' BECOMES 'TIME IN'

Sedgbeer and Julin have developed a revolutionary curriculum based on the latest research on emotional intelligence and its impact on child development and behavior that's proving a lifeline for parents.

  1. Create a comfort corner with special soothing items where they can retreat to calm themselves down
  2. Deal with tantrums by stopping their body and gently placing your hand on them.
  3. Use calming words like, "Mama needs to stop your body, we need to sit and quiet ourselves for a few moments."
  4. Bring the child into your lap and talk to them in a calm voice as to why their behavior is NOT acceptable to you and the family.
  5. Sit quietly and say, "Let's take a few breaths together and quiet our bodies."
  6. Use the age of the child to assess how long you should sit together for - two minutes for a two year old, four minutes for a four year old, etc.

When the child gets violent:

  1. Physically remove them from the situation saying: "Wow you seem really out of control of your body, Mama is going to move you."
  2. Kneel down at their level and say something like: "Oh, we do not hit our friends, we use kind gentle hands."
  3. Next, narrate their feelings for them: "I see you are feeling very frustrated because Erin took your truck, but it's never ok with me for you to hit anyone's body."
  4. "Look at Erin, how is she feeling? That's right, she's sad. It makes our friends sad when we hit their bodies."
  5. Then, with your child in your lap, walk them through relaxing their body.

MULTI-PRONGED STRATEGY
Julin and Sedgbeer have developed a multi-pronged strategy to deliver their curriculum direct to families, where they and experts claim it is so urgently needed. What's more, mothers across the country are getting on board. Their unique offerings include:

And in a twist on the 'Tupperware Party' model - Inspired Parenting Playgroups. These 'Play Dates with Purpose'™, comprise fun games and activities, and are based on research from the fields of social neuroscience and early childhood development, while being specifically designed to develop confidence, resilience, empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence.

Sedgbeer believes we are fast reaching crisis point. "Today's children face far more pressures than previous generations. Their world is supersaturated, over-scheduled and incredibly stressful. Studies show they are coming to school more anxious, depressed, defensive and impulsive than they have ever been before. While academics and athletics are important, they also desperately need time just to be kids. They need that good old fashioned circle of caring, which includes time to play and time to interact with their families in a stable environment surrounded by loving attentive adults. These things are critical in building the foundation for emotional intelligence."

Julin, the founder and CEO of CosmiKids™ adds: "We see an urgent need to provide families with the tools they need to educate themselves and their children. The response to the work we are doing has been incredible. Parents are hungry for information, practical tools and strategies for communicating with their kids. And kids simply want a safe, nurturing place where they can play, have fun and just be free to be themselves."

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