Christmastime meltdowns: What to do when your child has a meltdown at Christmas dinner

'Tis Christmastime once more. Many parents have to deal with it. A child throwing a temper tantrum come Christian Eve and Day. It may appear to the parent as an attempt to undermine family events. However, children do not intentionally undermine family events, as children are incapable of such reasoning.

Punishing a child for their tantrums is a violation of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, in which case the burden of proof is on the parents. 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.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of parents. This word refers to, in context, a secure attachment between parent and child. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents submit to their children as they would to God, from beneath yet from above.

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 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 in biblical times 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 their children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along the women in the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children in his time. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers used the scourge of cords to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were persecuted largely for being "too soft" on their children.

What should a parent do when a child cries at Christmas dinner, or during other family functions this Christmas? Most children throw temper tantrums at Christmas because there are too many people, and too much commotion. Children actually have better hearing than us adults. Feel free to comfort and reassure your child by swaddling them next to your bosom in swaddling blankets, and maybe breastfeed and nourish a child that is milk-dependent. You do not have to apologize to anyone in your family for meeting your child's needs. 

In most cases, the child needs constant comfort, as the beginning and end of the festivities is a long time for a child who is brand new to the world. Children have a short attention span, and thus need to be entertained by constant closeness with mothers. This constant closeness is what comforts the child.

Swaddling blankets were made of velvet in biblical times, with velvet growing throughout the Ancient Middle East. Children were tucked underneath the mother's dress that resembled an apron. The blankets were tied to the left breast, then across the dot to the right leg, or vice versa, or both in the case of twins. Children were in this sort of closeness until they reached the age of 6. After turning age 6, children who cried or whined were picked up and held, but were, in most cases, too heavy to be swaddled by mom. 

A common tactic used on children who throw a temper tantrum is planned ignoring. However, this is perceived by the child as stonewalling. Temper tantrums and meltdowns need a response consisting of tender loving care. Anything less could be perceived as an offense by a child, thus child abuse.

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 day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!