Why crying is not bad behavior in children

All parents have had to deal with a crying child. Most parents think that a crying child is deserving of punishment. Crying is a common reason for punishment for children. Most parents in America believe that crying is a way for children to "undermine parental authority". The fact of the matter is that all children cry for the same reason an infant cries - they need love!

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, with children being a Godhead for parents to serve, with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Parents are the enemy of children, just as mankind is the enemy of God, with parents being subservient to them just as they are to Him, expecting absolutely nothing in return.

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 a 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 children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children too many times. 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 your child hostage for things they did wrong. Paul here was lifting up this legal context to 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. Most every Jewish man and woman of his time did oppose child punishment. Paul here was educating Greek and Roman newcomers to the Christian Church about proper Jewish parenting customs, which were attachment-based then. The Early Christian church communities were considered a sect of Judaism back in the 1st Century, and Jewish parenting measures that were gentle and warm in nature were ingrained into church tradition then.

Never scold a crying child. Children in biblical times, when they cried, were seen very differently than crying children were seen today. Children who cried then did so to communicate a need, including attachment needs such as attention. Children have five basic categories of needs; food, water, shelter, transportation, and attachment - and the greatest of all of them is attachment. Children's cries were seen in biblical times as the child petitioning parents for a valid need, not as a child "challenging parental authority". There is always a reason why a child is crying. They never cry for no reason, even if they appear to. If anything, they need loving attention. They always need something when they cry, so give them what they need, instead of punishing them. This is how children were dealt with in biblical times when they cried...The context contained herein is applicable for all time, without any changes necessary.

Children, in biblical times, wore no clothing, at all, until they were adults. Women then only wore clothing when outside the home, otherwise going in the nude in order to serve their husbands or their children, separately. Mothers served their children by providing for them nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk (until age 3) and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. Children were reassured in biblical times with skin-on-skin co-snuggling. Children snuggled next to mothers in the nude, with the skin-to-skin contact leading to reassurance and the stoppage of tears, usually within minutes, and then children could talk about what they needed from parents.

The biblical context can be replicated today by mothers by way of the mothers wearing a shirt or blouse with a low neckline, not to please men, but to please their child. When a child is crying, hold them close to your bosom, with older children going head first into the bosom. This area of the mother's body wasn't intended for men to gawk at, but for mothers to nurture their children. There are nerve endings on the bosom of mothers and on the bodies of children that allow for instant reassurance when a child is held to the bosom of a mother. Mothers can expect crying to stop in about 1-2 minutes, and then you can have a talk with your child about what upset them.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger 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!