How to pacify a crying child in public

Many parents think that children need punishment in order to be pacified. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, children growing up in the Early Church were commonly pacified by way of being held next to the mother's bosom in swaddling blankets.

Swaddling blankets were part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof falling squarely onto 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 children 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. 

Children under age 6, when out and about, were wrapped up next to the bosom of mothers, in swaddling blankets. Mothers first tied the swaddling blankets from the left breast, then across the dot to the right leg, or vice versa, or both in the case of twins. From there, the swaddling blankets - and the child with them - were tucked underneath the loose-fitting, revealing dress worn by mothers that resembled an apron. Whenever children cried in public, they were held even closer to mom's bosom, in skin-on-skin bliss! The swaddling blankets used by mothers were made of velvet, with velvet being grown throughout the Ancient Middle East.

Breastfeeding is important in pacifying crying children in public. Whenever children cried, mom started diagnosing the need by offering the child her teat. When the child continued to cry, the mother searched for the need, and then met that need. Breastfeeding was allowed in the Early Church at any time the mother was called to breastfeed, including in public. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parents will nor inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, 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!