Separation anxiety: Why children cry seemingly out of nowhere

Many parents have to deal with it. A child crying seemingly out of nowhere. Most parents punish their children when they cry for seemingly no reason at all. However, children always cry for a reason. The main antecedent for crying in children under age 6 is separation anxiety. 

Tending to cries of separation anxiety is a part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof falling squarely on the part of 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 securely in the good works of parents. Good works here refers to doing good for children, meeting the child's every need, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See 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 as 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 deacon.

Many times, children cry for seemingly no reason at all. However, there is a reason behind every cry coming from a child. The most common reason for children under age 6 to cry is separation anxiety. Separation anxiety happens when children are morbidly afraid of mom "going away and never coming back".

When children felt detached from mom, they cried a deathly, screeching cry that no loving mother could ever ignore. Most mothers held their children close to their bosom in mammary closeness. The purpose of mothers engaging in mammary closeness was to reassure the child that mom was going nowhere. Children cried when mothers left the room, in which case the mother went right to the other room, reassuring their child that mom was going nowhere. Otherwise, children were simply attached at the hip with their mothers. 

Children also had other needs as well. When milk-dependent children cried, mothers first offered the child the teat of mothers, and then tried other forms of mammary closeness with children. Most of the time, all children needed was warmth with mom. When the child needed something else, they continued to cry until the mother gave in to their cries, and met the need. However, the main need to look for in a child is separation anxiety, when they were under age 6. 

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.