Preventing public meltdowns: How public meltdowns can be prevented entirely

Many parents have been there. Their child throws a huge meltdown in the store. This is a common occurrence in American homes. Most of the time, parents reprimand or punish public meltdowns. However, full fledged kicking and screaming tantrums were rare in the public eye in biblical times. Children were kept close to mothers by way of swaddling blankets.

The use of swaddling blankets 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 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 was 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. The 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 Christians 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.

Mothers in biblical times, when out and about in public, wrapped up their young children - under age 6 - next to their bosom in swaddling blankets. These swaddling blankets - and the child with them - were tucked underneath the loose-fitting, revealing dress that resembled an apron. The swaddling blankets were tied from the left breast, then across the dot to the right leg of the mother, or vice versa, or both in the case of twins. When children cried while swaddled up next to the bosom of mothers, they cried silently, not disturbng the peace, with the mother then tending to their silent tears, first by cooing at the child while holding the child closer to her bosom, and then from there, diagnosing the need of their child. The swaddling blankets were made of velvet, which grew throughout the Ancient Middle East.

Children usually cry in public when they want something, usually something on the shelf in a store, where they can't reach if swaddled next to the bosom of mothers. The doctrine of righteous ordering holds that children call the shots in the family home. Children also call the shots when children were in public. In the Early Church, children were taken to market with mothers, swaddled up next to the mothers bosom when the child was under age 6. When a child wanted something, perhaps a piece of produce on display, they got what they wanted. Children in biblical times got most all of what they wanted, and everything that they needed. The word "no" is to be used in Christian parenting seldom, meaning almost never. There is usually room for compromise when a child wants something. If the child wants the expensive bicycle on display at Wal-Mart, most parents can simply say "yes, but wait until payday". If they have trouble with patience in that regard, count the days until payday with them, by way of reminder. The word "no" should be a rare word for a child to hear, with the only valid reason for that word being if the child is petitioning something unworkable and/or immoral. 

Older children - past age 6 - were given free reign to run around outside, playing freely. Children also ran wild and played freely even at market. Children under age 6 were the ones that were swaddled next to mothers, and that was a way that mothers protected their young children from hazards such as venomous snakes and scorpions. Older children knew the dangers, and were warned of them by their mothers. Children got whatever they wanted when mom took children to market, even if the item was out of reach due to the young child being swaddled next to the bosom of their mothers. With children still swaddled next to mothers, they simply pointed to something they wanted, and then they got what they wanted. 

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!