level, rather than letting it fall back to Mooladhara, manifested by residual resentment and confusion. In the moment they could not get the lesson because they were unconscious of their urges and blinded by their desires. Later on they get the point much more clearly and always have a bit of laugh about the incident which shows that they are learning and that they aren't scarred by the experience and that they do know that "mummy loves me even though she gives me a smack for doing stupid things sometimes". It does not take long before the child learns that obedience has its purposes and rewards.

Other Techniques for Discipline
   In the course of their childrearing, parents try many different modes of discipline. I have found that sometimes fixed systems work and at other times discipline around the home has to be a very creative and flexible process. What works for one child may not work for another. What works at one stage of their development, may not work at another. The whole matter becomes more complex the more children you have because of the consistency factor and because the approaches may need to vary over the age groups. Here are some of the ways I have found work well in managing inappropriate behaviours through using the principles of energy and consciousness management, rather than being just punishment regimes.
   Reasoning. This will simply not work for a child under the age of about 3 years. While explaining to them after the event helps them to reflect on the lesson, disciplining a toddler needs to be immediate and experiential so as to be effective.
   Isolation is very effective in managing a bad temper - yours and theirs! Kids sometimes just need to be made to stop and sit, to contemplate their own energy without the mirror of anyone else to blame for their troubles. Sending them to their bedroom is one option but far better is an austere outside space. This gives them the opportunity to vent their spleen into the cosmos if they wish, rather than into others, thus helping them to then let it out and calm down. We used to send one of my girls (who liked to stomp and shout a bit when she was angry) to the wood shed where she could make as much noise as she liked. But there she had no audience, so her anger blew over much quicker. We would not fetch her to come back to the house until she had been quiet for some time, so it didn't take long for her to get herself under control again.
   Sending To Their Bed or Bedroom can have more downsides than upsides. A

bed is for sleeping or resting when tired, not a place of punishment to crawl into and sulk. Of course, if the cause of their behaviour is tiredness, then putting them to bed is an appropriate action. But sending them to bed, where they can cry into their pillow in anger or sadness, drift off, and then wake up sometime later, not remembering a thing about why they went there, are not good habits to associate with the bed. If they do not get into bed, they will have the pleasurable distraction of toys and will consider your "punishment" a joke.
   Going Back Into A Cot is a good one for children who think they are too old for that but who exhibit stubborn babyish behaviours from time to time. It is also good for those who continually (disobediently) get out of bed for no reason at night. It doesn't take long for them to get the point and to exert their own sense of self discipline.
   Going Back Into Nappies is also effective to help toddlers realise they are behaving like a baby. "When you've grown up again, then you can get out of nappies". Even for a few hours, pin them into one. They get the point soon enough.
   Withdrawal Of Privileges. Because the major-ity of children have lots of "things" and privileges in our culture, withdrawal of them is now seen as a valid form of discipline. But because such things are only superficial attachments, not part of a young child's nature, and are usually gifts of love from parents, this approach only works with older children who have good powers of reasoning - those who can make the link between their behaviour and the withdrawal.
   Rather than threats of withdrawals and random withdrawals in the event of misdemean-ours, it is a better system to give the child certain very special items or privileges on the condition of good behaviour in the beginning. If their maturity wanes or their behaviour is unaccept-able, instead of the presents being taken off them, they should voluntarily surrender them as agreed beforehand, and when they have shown a period of restored maturity, they get them back.
   Never Use Food as a Lever for Behaviours. Using food as a reward or a punishment for certain behaviours is extremely unwise and unkind.
   It is unwise because it leaves the parent open to easy manipulation by the child and their chosen behaviours. Any child over 1 is able to wilfully display agreeable or disagreeable behaviours for their parents, in which case they are therefore able to turn on bad behaviour, get the promise of a reward for stopping it, and then turn it off just in time for the