Attention-seeking behavior: How to deal with attention-seeking behavior

Many parents have to deal with it. It is a common occurrence in many homes. Children usually act out for attention, and this is normal behavior. Most parents deal with it as misbehavior. The fact of the matter is that all children are like infants - they need loving attention!

Giving children loving attention is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. See 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, dutifully and selflessly submitting to children just as they would to God, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in the submission of parents. Parents are to submit to children as their enemy, from beneath yet from above, revering and fearing children as vulnerable extensions of God.

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, stemming 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 punishments or controlling demeanor towards children. 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 as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict 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 in his writings.

Children have five basic categories of needs; food, water, shelter, transportation, and attachment - and the greatest of these is attachment! Attention is a core attachment need of children, and this does not count just infants and babies. All children are like babies in that they need loving attention from parents or other adults. All children need attention, yet very few children get the attention they need and deserve. 

How do you provide to a child loving attention? Mothers in biblical times held children close to their bosom in skin-on-skin mammary closeness, providing for children nourishment and sustenance. Whenever a child cried, mothers responded to the cry, even if it was just for attention. When it was just for attention, children were held lovingly in skin-on-skin format.

Mothers were in constant closeness with their children up until age 6. This started with mothers constantly holding their babies, and then children frequently wanted to be held when they were older. Mothers and children both didn't wear clothing when in the house, and children didn't ever wear clothing until they were adults. Thus, any holding of a child was skin-on-skin in nature. When the child wanted attention, the mother was right there to nurture and dote on the child.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their 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!