Preventing public meltdowns: How to curtail public meltdowns

Many parents think that children deserve punishment merely for throwing temper tantrums in public. However, children growing up in the Early Church usually did not throw kicking and screaming temper tantrums in public. Instead, cries were pacified using swaddling blankets that mothers wrapped their children in. 

Swaddling blankets were a part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof in this mutual submission relationship falling squarely 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, 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 children just as they would to God, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40; 25:31-46.

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 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.

When mothers and children under age 6 were out and about in public, mom wrapped up her young child next to her bosom in swaddling blankets. From there, mothers tucked the swaddling blankets - and the child with them - underneath her loose-fitting, revealing dress worn by mothers that resembled an apron. The swaddling blankets were tied to the left breast of the mother, and then across the dot to the right leg of the mother, or vice versa, or both in the case of twins. Whenever children cried, the cries were pacified, with mothers holding the swaddled child even closer. When children were milk-hungry, the mother offered her child the teat, even in public, with this breastfeeding closeness happening until the child pushed away the teat of the mother. The swaddling blankets were made of velvet, which was grown throughout the Ancient Middle East.

Children usually thew temper tantrums in public in the Early Church when they were given the word "no". However, the word "no" was used on children seldom, meaning almost never. Most of the time, mothers were to either say "yes" or else strike up a compromise with their children. Parents were to heel to the commands of their children, giving them most everything that they wanted, and absolutely everything that they needed. In public, young children under age 6 usually wanted candy or sweets, in which case the child pointed to the item while wrapped up in swaddling blankets, and the mother bought the item for the child. Older children past age 6 were given their own spending money, and then they went shopping for whatever they wanted. Children did not have to do chores to be given spending money, and instead were given free money. That way, children learned the finite nature of money when they took too much off of the shelf.

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!