Skin-on-skin co-snuggling: Time-in the biblical way

Many parents think that time-out is an acceptable form of disciplining a child as an alternative to spanking or corporal punishment. Many parents start using time-out, then figure out that even that doesn't work. The fact of the matter is that children don't need time-out. They need time-in. There are many versions of time-in, but the biblical version is the best.

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 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, dutifully and selflessly submitting to children as they would God, with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Children are to rest safely and securely in the presence of parents, following them around as a gosling to a mother goose.

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. 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 punishments or controlling demeanor. 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 quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up this legal context to a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing their children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of children.

Children, in biblical times, wore absolutely no clothing, at all, until they became adults. Women only wore clothing outside the home, and otherwise went in the nude, in order to serve both 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. Children went naked in biblical times for a specific reason - so that their mothers could easily snuggle them up and cuddle them up when they cried or were upset. Crying and upset children were held to the bosom of mothers while co-snuggling, in mammary closeness.

How can the abovementioned context be replicated by mothers? When children cry or become upset, disrobe yourself at least to the underwear level, or preferably to the nudity level. In the throes of the temper tantrum, invite the child to throw off the clothing, in an encouraging way. You may find that children find clothing burdensome. Then, snuggle up your child to your bosom. This should stop crying in 1-2 minutes, in which case, with an older child, you can talk about what was wrong, and work out a solution to the problem. Whenever possible, avoid the word "no", and seek to compromise with your child. But, always, hear out their tears when you have to say "no", and do so while co-snuggling with your upset child in skin-on-skin format. In public, this can be done by taking your child to the ladies' room and snuggling up to him/her, giving the upset child skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy with mother.

In biblical times, mothers were the primary caregivers of children, and were charged with the duty of reassuring children. Mothers were charged with duties of providing nourishment and sustenance because mothers physically are adept to providing sustenance due to having breasts, with breasts functioning primarily, in our evolutionary history, towards the motherly duty of providing nourishment and sustenance to children. Attractiveness to men is simply a secondary role that breasts serve, and men can wait until the mother stops nursing and cuddling with her children. This is why children will always prefer their mother - she has breasts to nurture them with, whereas us men lack that feature.

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!