Separation anxiety: Why children cry for seemingly no reason at all

Many parents believe that children who cry seemingly for no reason are trying to "undermine" the "authority" of parents. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents punish children when they cry "out of nowhere". However, the fact of the matter is that whenever a child cries out loud, think separation anxiety.

Tending to children who cry out of separation anxiety is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: as 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 safely and securely in the good works of parents, 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.

Most parents punish a child who cries seemingly for no reason at all. However, children always cry for a reason. Most of the time, when children cry out loud for seemingly no reason at all, the antecedent behind the cry was separation anxiety. Children growing up in the Early Church were morbidly afraid of mom "going away and never coming back".

Most children growing up in the Early Church were allowed to feel the full range of their emotions, with this including separation anxiety. When children felt separation anxiety, they cried a deathly, screeching cry that no loving mother could ignore. From there, the mother reassured the child of her presence. Usually,, that's all that the child needed. Sometimes they need other things, but usually, they need YOU and YOU only.

Children today usually are not allowed to feel their feelings like they used to be able to. Most of the time, the child learns from punishment to keep their feelings to themselves, lest they be met with punishment. From there, the need boils over in the form of a temper tantrum. Children, by nature, cry whenever they need something. That's just what little children do to get what they need from parents.

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!