One year for Christmas, Santa brought  me a baby girl and a rocking chair.  A big white wicker one to rock her in.  I was in hospital with baby over Christmas so my husband carried the chair on his head through the corridors to my room so I could get started right away.

I had just read a book - sorry, have forgotten the title and the author, but she gets full credit for introducing me to Rocking Chair Therapy.  I just love it.

Having already a large family, I was at a time of introspection - which of all the hundreds of mother things I had done, were most valuable?
What should I continue with this precious child, what should I leave out?
What new principle could I learn to give her the childhood I dreamed of?

The "new" was Rocking Chair Therapy.

Slow down

Cuddle
 
Smooth it away

Don't FIX it , just rock.

My sister has a sign in her kitchen, "Good Morning.  Let the stress begin"
Always makes me laugh because it is so true, but doesn't have to be.

Which little one has ruffled feelings, is cross, worried, jealous, nervous or sad?
Scoop him up and rock.  Don't talk about it, just rock.
A very few minutes and he's off to play - or maybe 1/2 an hour later you are both still enjoying the moment.
You are dead tired but baby is fussing and needs some serious jiggling, which would normally require you to dance around the room.  Rock instead. 
You are at your wit's end trying to do this job which is sometimes too hard for you - rock, relax and adjust your feelings.
As preventative medicine for both you and a child it is valuable.  A morning spent rocking by the fire while reading stories, or out on the porch watching the children play makes for a happy day. 
Is there a drama going on? You get to decide if the best way to handle it is to correct, or to rock.
Often, it is to rock the child to restore her happiness, then correction is a gentle reminder - "What should you have done there?  That's right, can you do it now?"

There are times when you have to be strict and stern, using obedience and correction, but it is surprising how often the gentle approach solves it better.   Some age old wisdom from the bible, "A soft answer turneth away wrath."

Even without a chair the principle works.
Don't lecture when you could love
Don't stress when you could soothe
Don't rant and rave when you could rock.

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-Lisa