Co-sleeping: Why co-sleeping is endorsed by the Bible

Many parents think that co-sleeping is the irresponsible choice for a parent to make in terms of bedtime arrangements. Most parents do not like the concept of a child sleeping in their own bed. Most parents, and also many pediatricians, cite that "children need to learn how to self-soothe". The fact of the matter is that not only is that children can't soothe themselves until puberty, but that co-sleeping can help prevent child sexual abuse.

Co-sleeping is a form of mutual submission between mother and child, with mothers holding children in their loving arms. 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, inclduing any punishments or controlling demeanor 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 them 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.

It is common knowledge that children aged 2-6 refuse to go to sleep many times. Most parents chalk it up to defiance, and punish children for refusing to go to sleep. The fact of the matter is that children of the beforementioned age group are not ready to sleep on their own. Most children in that age bracket have a primal fear of being devoured by predators. Parents may say that the days of snakes and scorpions biting children in their sleep are gone, but predators that devour children exist today, in the form of child rapists and sexual assailants. Usually, the rape or sexual assault of children is committed by a father figure, and usually when the child is isolated in their own room. Mothers in biblical times knew this intuitively, and co-slept next to their children in skin-on-skin format, in order to guard their children from rape or sexual assault. Fathers had an active sexual drive towards their own children, usually their own daughters, and children could sense it, thus sleeping next to mothers for safety's sake. The mother was right there, so nothing could happen.

Many parents think that babies need to learn how to self-soothe. The fact of the matter, however, is that children do not learn how to self-soothe until puberty. Most children in biblical times co-slept next to mothers up until puberty. When they hit puberty, children usually insisted on a bed or other place to sleep of their own, and they were given space by their parents then. Children cannot self-soothe until they are soothed by their mothers, and even then, they need to be soothed until they are ready for their own sleeping arrangements, on their own.

An integral part of Christian attachment parenting is child nudity. In the Early Church, both mothers and children were completely naked in the family home, with children being naked all of the time until adulthood. This child nudity, as well as the nudity on the part of mothers, made it easier for children to receive the skin-on-skin comfort and sustenance that they need. Most ancient parenting contexts don't stress skin-on-skin comfort and sustenance much like the Early Christian context does. Mothers kept their children close during the first 6 years of the child's life, constantly holding children, and wrapping them up next to her bosom in swaddling blankets when out and about. Around age 6, children insisted on independence, and were lavishly praised and encouraged in bold feats of independence by fathers.

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!