Co-sleeping: Why God wants mothers and children to co-sleep next to each other

Many parents think that co-sleeping is the irresponsible choice in parenting. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents oppose co-sleeping, usually citing vague reasons that it is "inappropriate". The most compelling reason for co-sleeping is the false medical concept of "sleep dependence". The fact of the matter is that God wants you to co-sleep with your child, as that was the parenting in biblical times. 

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, and with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents, owing absolutely nothing to parents. Parents are depraved and decadent sinners deserving of absolutely nothing from children or anyone else, and have to earn every bit of respect they receive from their children.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages and 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 the 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 directed towards a child. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. 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 in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a slave. Paul was lifting up this legal context to a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children to the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child.

It is common knowledge that children between the ages of 2-6 refuse to go to bed. This fact is commonly used as proof that children are "undermining" parents by refusing to go to bed. The fact of the matter is that children under the age of 6 are not ready to sleep on their own, and this is because they have a primal fear of being isolated in a room away from parents, and this was because, in ancient times, children could easily be devoured by predators. This threat has not gone away in today's day and age. It is a known fact that most child sexual abuse is committed by a father figure in the home, and that the child is usually assaulted in an isolated room. This is a good reason to co-sleep. Child sexual abuse was rare in biblical times, and that is because mothers co-slept next to their children, guarding them against the sexual entitlement of their fathers. The mother was right there, so nothing could happen. If anything, the way the co-sleeping was done, a predator was exposed in the father, leading to a divorce once found out.

Another common excuse for not co-sleeping is "sleep dependence". This term was coined by pediatricians, child psychologists, and other health professionals dealing with children, and is used especially when the child has a developmental disability such as autism. Psychohistory tells a different story as to whether co-sleeping works, and as a whole, disproves the label of "sleep dependence". Children who slept next to their mothers in the Early Christian culture shook off the closeness of their mothers between the ages of 6-13, meaning that children insisted on sleeping on their own. All children naturally want to be independent from their parents, but assert their independence in stages. When that assertiveness is delayed, that is a sign of autism or other developmental disorder. But, even then, eventually, they will leave your bed. Most children with autism shake off the co-sleeping closeness of their parents by their mid to late teens. I myself have autism, and I shook off co-sleeping closeness with my mother by age 16-17. I shook off my mother in that context because I wanted to be more independent.

Children, in biblical times, wore no clothing, at all, until they were adults. Women only wore clothing outside the home, and otherwise went in the nude, in order to serve their husbands and their children, separately. Mothers served their children by way of providing for them nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk (until age 3) and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy, respectively. The core aspect of Christian attachment parenting in the 1st Century was skin-on-skin co-sleeping, with mothers and children fast asleep next to each other, snuggling and cuddling with each other in the nude. Children went in the nude for a reason - so that they could easily recharge in the warm embrace of their mother. Skin-on-skin co-sleeping was how mothers and children bonded with each other, and this translated onto the father as well. Even during the day, mothers would take time to co-snuggle with their children in skin-on-skin fashion when they were crying or upset.

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!