Pro-social confidant - How to avoid children lying

Many parents believe in being "tough on the discipline" and being harsh with their children. Most parents are punitive parents. The problem is then that children hide things from you, and lie to you as a parent. How do you prevent it? Pro-social confidant.

It says in Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to trust and rest in the love and grace of parents, just as adult believers trust and rest in Lord Jesus Christ. Replace "obey" with "trust" and you get a more accurate translation. This kind of trust is an open, honest type of trust, where children can tell their parents anything and everything under the sun, being able to be oneself in relation to children, with parents being the closest of confidants to children, meaning children should surrender to parents by confiding in everything to parents, good or bad, with parents listening reflectively and with validation. Parenting in ancient Israel and adjoining churches was attachment-based in nature, with children co-sleeping in the nude next to mothers until adulthood, with children up to age 3 being breastfed as infants, and being treated as infants as such. The "terrible twos" were simply seen as a baby crying out for love, and possibly nourishment from mother. This laid out the framework for children to be brutally honest to parents about how they felt.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers literally to "stirring up" upset and resentment in children, as in "stirring the pot" in regards to the emotional welfare of a child. This ultimately refers to provocations to anger inflicted upon children, meaning offenses against children, as defined as the slightest of offense perceived by the child, which included, by the intent of the inspired pen of the Apostle Paul, corporal or other forms of punishment, meaning all forms of punishment or offending of children regardless. Christian parents of Greek origin spanked their children as part of an idolatrous tradition, which was later introduced to the Christian church by Rome. Paul would have none of that kind of entitlement and idolatry in the churches that he oversaw as a deacon. Paul could be a menacing figure towards ordinary Christians, but he cared about children enough to be convicted to give a commandment not to provoke children to anger, meaning not offend them in any way.

Children in biblical times were not punished in the way children are today, meaning they weren't punished at all for being too outspoken. Children were brusque and forceful in their orders and demands towards parents. They saw parents as similar to how a patron of a restaurant would see waitstaff, with parents being as attendant as such. Children screamed. Children cried. Older children barked orders. Parents chalked it up to childish immaturity, and totally accepted their children for their flaws, being struck with reverent fear and terror. Children could tell parents anything, and parents would simply listen and validate.

Children lie when they are punished, meaning lies serve a purpose - to avoid getting punished. The idea is to be like biblical parents, and be a confidant to your children, allowing children to tell you anything, without you judging or punishing them. When children can tell you anything, their first instinct is to use parents as a confessor, and tell parents so that they are forgiven, just like we can confide our sins as adult believers into Christ. Parents are an extension of Christ in that regard. Sometimes, children have mental health issues at a low level that are deemed sin falsely by many, such as pedophilia, and the easier the parent is to confide in, the more likely the parent is going to hear a vulnerable disclosure of such a psychiatric disorder.

The depraved and entitled parents who shut down communication in the family home will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death, which is Satan's tomb! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!