Why not to threaten children with Santa

'Tis Christmastime. Many parents want to introduce Santa into their children's lives. Most American parents are Christians who seek to observe the birthday of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. However, many parents turn Santa Claus into a behavioral modification tool. Legend has it that Santa has a nice list and a naughty list.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement is an adult losing their cool when they don't get what they feel that they deserve from children. One way that parents lose their cool through entitlement is by threatening to "call Santa" when parents don't get the good behavior that they feel that they deserve rom children. Any adult anger directed towards a child was seen in biblical times as parental entitlement, including anger to call out "sin" in a child - children were seen then as immune to sin guilt, at least while they were still children. When this entitlement was perceived by the child as offensive or damaging, it became child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

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 as the slightest of offenses or damages 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.

Santa, according to legend, have a "nice" list and a "naughty" list. The "nice" children are promised a whole toy land underneath the Christmas tree. The "naughty" children are instead threatened with punishment such as "coal for Christmas" or else a similar punishment. Usually, it is a vain threat, but children can't see that nuance, and likely are afraid of getting nothing for Christmas. This threat is thus an offense perceived by a child. 

I myself was threatened with "coal for Christmas". I was a willful child growing up. There were Christmas Eves where I lay awake, bracing for getting nothing for Christmas. I never did get coal for Christmas except when I asked for it (I was indeed a strange child).

Children should be allowed to "cry" or "pout", and not have to "watch out". This is because a child's self-control starts to emerge around age 6. Before age 6, children are all over the place in terms of emotion, and can't help but act impulsively. Children growing up in the Early Church, before age 6, usually cried out to mom when they needed something, and also cried for things such as mom going in the other room. Children past age 6 usually are the ones pouting, and that is a sign of maturity.

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!