Righteous co-sleeping: Why God wants parents to sleep next to their children

Many parents think that co-sleeping is the wrong choice to make as a parent. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents think that co-sleeping is the irresponsible choice for a parent to make. However, not only does co-sleeping gel a bond with a child, but it also protects children from child sexual abuse.

I myself have trauma from not being allowed to co-sleep with my mom. My father would lash out and become violent when I tried to sneak into bed with my mom. However, the fact of the matter is that God opposes this sort of behavior on the part of parents .

Righteous co-sleeping is a 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 here to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and submission of parents/ This highlighted 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 perform good works for their child, with children resting in the good works of parents. Good works here refers to doing good things for children, meeting their every vulnerable need, 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 here 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. 

It is common knowledge that children under age 6 refuse to go to bed. This bedtime refusal is a common excuse for punishing a child. However, the fact of the matter is that children under age 6 are too young to be sleeping on their own. Children, until age 6, have a morbid fear of being devoured by predators. Maybe you think there are no predators today. You would be wrong. Most child sexual abuse takes place as a bedtime ritual. However, Christian mothers in the Early Church co-slept with their children. The father could not rape the child, as the mom was right there. The mother, if necessary, used herself as a human shield for the father's sexual wrath. Child sexual abuse was a rare offense in the Early Church, and in the biblical context as a whole.

The main excuse for parents not co-sleeping next to their children comes from fearmongering on the part of pediatricians and mental health professionals serving children, with terms such as "sleep dependence". However, children growing up in the Early Church co-slept next to mothers in skin-on-skin format every night, until the onset of puberty, which was when most children wanted their own place to sleep. However, even in the case of extended co-sleeping, co-sleeping always has an end to it. Most extended co-sleeping is due to autism, bipolar disorder, and/or ADHD. I myself co-slept next to my mother until age 16, which was when I wanted to insist on independence from mom.

Co-sleeping is the ultimate way to gel a bond with your child. Righteous co-sleeping is the centerpiece in the secure attachment between parent and child. In the Early Church, the family bed came entirely in the nude. Fathers hung up their robe when entering the house, with the mother hanging up her dress. Children went naked wherever they went, including when in bed next to mom. 

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!