Righteous co-sleeping: Why co-sleeping is the biblical sleeping arrangement

Many parents think that co-sleeping is the irresponsible choice to make as a parent. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents avoid co-sleeping due to it being "inappropriate". Children are instead expected, from day one, to sleep isolated in a crib or bed. However, the Bible and its context call for co-sleeping until the child shakes you off completely. Co-sleeping also is a means of protecting your child from child sexual abuse.

Righteous co-sleeping is the core of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, where children rested in the loving arms of mothers. 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 submission of parents. This word ultimately refers to a secure attachment between parent and child in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to their children as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40.

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 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 secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers got out the scourge of cords in order to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were largely persecuted for being "too soft" on their children.

It is common knowledge that children aged 2-6 refuse to go to bed on their own. This is a cause of contention in the family home, and many times punishment of the child. The actual reason as to why children refuse to go to bed is because a child of that age bracket is not ready for sleeping on their own. Young children have a primal fear of being devoured by predators. Many parents would like to believe that their child won't fall prey to a predator. However, the fact of the matter is that most child sexual abuse is committed by a father or father figure in the household, usually as a bedtime ritual. Most children who are sexually abused are abused during bedtime. Children instinctively know this, and naturally want to sleep next to mom. Mothers in the Early Church co-slept next to their children in skin-on-skin fashion, in order to bring out the sexual entitlement in the father. In some cases, mothers had to use themselves as human shields to protect her children. The reason co-sleeping protects children is because the mom is right there to lay in between the father of her children, and the children themselves.

A common reason for avoiding co-sleeping is the fear of "sleep dependence" drummed into parents by mental health professionals serving children. The fact of the matter, however, is that co-sleeping always ends at some point. Most co-sleeping in the biblical context ended when the child reached the onset of puberty. Once children reached the onset of puberty, they wanted their own place to sleep. 

Co-sleeping is the ultimate way to bond with your child. Children in biblical times co-slept next to mothers. This co-sleeping always came in skin-on-skin format. This skin-on-skin warmth and sustenance helped gel the bond between mother and child, with the first 6 years of a child's life including other forms of constant closeness. Children up until age 2 were constantly held, either in the mother's arms, or in a papoose bag if her hands were full. Children aged 2-6 ranged next to mothers, fearing her "going away, and never coming back" Co-sleeping helped reassure this fear. This co-sleeping was also a way that children recharged after a long day of playing outside, when children were older. Children were allowed to play outside freely, and while naked, but they most always wanted to recharge with mom come nightfall, with both mother and child in the nude, co-sleeping next to each other. When they refused to, they were given their own place to sleep.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever 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!