Co-sleeping: Why co-sleeping is crucial for a secure parent-child bond

Many parents are opposed to sleeping next to their children. Most parents see co-sleeping as an "irresponsible" choice, with the argument being that children need to sleep in their own beds, or else they will sleep in your bed for the rest of their lives. The fact of the matter is that co-sleeping saves lives. Co-sleeping actually works to protect children from child sexual abuse.

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 secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. Children are to rest securely in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest securely in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Parents are to be extensions of Christ in the family home, sacrificing for their children, just as Christ sacrificed for His children, serving a Godhead which is children. Parents are to sacrifice for children, just as Christ sacrificed for God, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, coming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any punishment or controlling demeanor towards a child. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children too many times, and receiving many warnings that their punitive parenting habits were in violation of the Law. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen then as holding a child hostage merely for things they did wrong. Paul here was lifting up the Law for a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child. Paul, here, was educating Greek and Roman newcomers to the Christian Church about proper Jewish parenting. The Early Christians carried on the Jewish parenting traditions as church tradition, and it is inscribed into the Bible, and thus our religious tradition in America should be anti-spanking as well.

It is well known that children age 2-6 refuse to go to bed on their own. This bedtime struggle is a common example that punitive parents use to paint children as naturally "sinful" and "defiant", thus somehow punishment is the way to get children to go to sleep for them. The fact of the matter is that children up until age 5-6 have a primal fear of being isolated in a room or crib on their own, as in ancient times - even in biblical times - there were predators that could devour a child. Even today, there are predators lurking in homes that could prey on children in their sleep. Sexual predators who prey on children usually strike within a family home, and usually, when a child is isolated in their own room. Most sexual predators abuse their own children, and strike at night. With co-sleeping, they can't do their dirty deeds, because the mother is right there. In biblical times, mothers co-slept next to their children, and did so to guard them from predators, both human and non-human. Children under the age of 6 aren't ready to sleep on their own, because they need mothers to sleep next to them in order to protect them from harm. 

When do children want to sleep on their own? Sleep dependence is a myth spread by medical and mental health professionals who serve children, based on faulty and incomplete research. Psychohistory tells us a different story. Children in biblical times slept on their own on their own volition, after asserting their independence from their parents. This was seen by parents in biblical times as the beginning of the end - the first sign that a child is pushing to be independent. Children naturally want to be independent, but only at their own pace, and so it is good not to rush children into independence by forcing them to sleep on their own before they are ready.

Co-sleeping, in biblical times, created a secure parent-child bond between parent and child. There was a direct attachment towards mothers that was secure in nature, and that translated onto fathers as well. Children were close to their parents, and respect for parents came from that closeness. Mothers in biblical times did skin-on-skin co-sleeping, with children not wearing any clothing until adulthood, and mothers only wearing clothing when outside of the home. Mothers and children snuggled and slept next to each other, forming a close bond that could not be broken.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be forever cast into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!