Why Santa should not be used as a form of behavioral modification on children

Many parents want their children to know Santa Claus. This is a common desire amongst American parents. However, most parents depict Santa as having a "nice" and "naughty" list, with the "naughty" list coming with some sort of punishment.

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 temper tantrum when children don't give parents the good behavior that they feel that they deserve. This includes threatening children with Santa when parents don't get the good behavior that they feel that they deserve from children. It usually is a vain threat, but is something that the child can't tell is a vain threat, thus putting children in fear of having nothing for Christmas. All of this coming from a want to corner misbehavior in children through punishing children. Any anger towards a child was seen as a form of parental entitlement in biblical times, including anger to call out "sin" in a child. When this entitlement was perceived by a 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 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 punishment, reprimands, or 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 parents 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.

Santa Claus is depicted in Christmas folklore as having a "nice" list and a separate "naughty" list. Only "good "children are seen as deserving of gifts by American Santa. This is intended by most parents as a vain threat to motivate good behavior in children. However, any threat towards a child is something that would offend a child, meaning upset a child by provoking them to anger.

There is no reason for Santa to have a "naughty" list. Most all "bad" behavior in children is developmentally appropriate behavior. Most children lack the self-control to make the "nice" list, which is something that only comes online at age 6. Until then, children growing up in the Early Church cried a lot, usually while needing mom. Children are going to "cry" or "pout", and so they shouldn't need to "watch out". 

As a child, I remember at the lowest level struggling to be "good". However, I was made to fear not having any toys or goodies for Christmas. I couldn't help but behave in a disorderly and defiant way. I had textbook oppositional-defiant disorder, which went undiagnosed to avoid stigma.

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!