Why to catch children being good (as opposed to catching them to being bad)

Most parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common desire on the part of parent. However, most parents think that discipline involves catching children in the act, and punishing them. The fact of the matter is that children instead need warm praise and encouragement in order for their countenance to be melded favorably.

Catching children being good is a part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. See Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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 parents and children in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where children are to submit to their 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 wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense, 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 in the parish at Ephesus who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishment 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.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to melding the countenance of children. Since punitive parenting is prohibited in the Bible (as spelled out in the previous paragraph), fathers in particular melded the countenance of their children by catching them being good, and then praising and encouraging children when they did good. Most of the time, children learned good traits from seeing mom and dad do good things. When children were caught in the act of doing good, they were praised and encouraged with phrases such as "keep headed down the straight path", with children keeping up the good traits, and those good habits showing on their countenance. Children also need religious instruction, as religion is a human need for both adults and children alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and refers to self-directed religious instruction. Religious instruction involved children discovering a Bible left out by fathers, and then devouring and exploring Scripture. Whenever children were caught studying the Bible, they were praised and encouraged with statements as "that book is good for you". Belief in Judeo-Christian values also melded the countenance of children, with children becoming more silent and stoic by the end of their religious education.

Fathers were in charge of discipline in children. Fathers were the ones praising and encouraging children when children showed good traits. When children misbehaved, fathers were either concerned about their child's wellbeing, or else laughed in the case of children getting into mischief. Most childish behaviors are developmentally appropriate, meaning normal. The Early Christians somehow knew the development of their children, and knew how to meet their children's every vulnerable need. Instead of catching children being bad, why not instead catch children being good, and give them praise of the same.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoked 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!