Time-in: Why mammary closeness is the Christian way to do time-in

Many parents think that punishment is the answer to a crying child. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents use time-out as a means of punishing their behavior, and then maybe the occasional disciplinary spanking, The fact of the matter is that children need time-in when they cry. There are many ways to give children time-in, but only one way is biblical in nature - mammary closeness.

Mammary closeness, as a form of time-in, is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. 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 their 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 submission of parents. Children are to rest in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest securely in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul to lift up the customary law that commands a secure attachment between parents and children in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to their children as their enemy, from beneath yet from above, 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, 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, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other 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 that 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 their children one last time. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings.

Time-in is thought of as a modern parenting practice. However, time-in is actually a time-honored parenting practice. In the Early Church, mothers tended to their children's cries by cooing and picking up the child in skin-on-skin comfort, then holding the child close to her bosom in mammary closeness. For the first 6 years of a child's life, children were in constant closeness with mothers, meaning wherever the child went, so did the mother. The Early Christians practiced birth nudity, where mother and child were in the nude next to each others. Mothers in biblical times breastfed their children, not just in private, but also in public.

Mammary closeness is the biblical way of doing time-in. Contrary to popular sentiment amongst men, the female breasts are not there primarily for being sexualized. A woman's bosom is designed as warm refuge for young children who need sustaining warmth from mothers. Children were picked up and cradled close to the bosom of mothers. Even older children were cradled next to the bosom of mothers when upset.

The modern application of mammary closeness is either going naked with your child in the family, prepared for a crying fit ahead of time, or else tucking children under your shirt when upset in public. The secular law of the land calls for clothing to be worn in public. Thus, when your child cries in public, tuck them underneath your shirt and lather them up with skin-on-skin comfort and sustenance, letting their head rest on your bosom. Mammary closeness is most certainly the quickest way into gentle parenting. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them forever be 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 day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!