Separation anxiety: Why children cry seemingly out of nowhere

Many parent have had to deal with it. A child crying seemingly out of nowhere. This crying is a modern excuse for child abuse such as spanking and false imprisonment such as time-out and grounding. However, the fact of the matter is that the every cry of a child comes for a reason. Chances are that the child is crying for YOU.

Tending to separation anxiety 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 children 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 children, with children resting securely in the good works of parents. Good works here refers to doing good things for children, meeting their children's 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 merely for things that 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 their 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.

Children sometimes seemingly cry for no reason at all. Most parents punish their children simply for crying. However, Christian parents in the Early Church knew that children always cry for a reason. Children who needed attachment or other needs cried a deathly, screeching cry that no loving mother could ignore. This crying served a specific God-given purpose, and that was to break down the mother, and continue to break down mothers, until they gave up and gave in to the child's vulnerable need. 

Separation anxiety is a form of anxiety primarily found in children under age 6. A child who has separation anxiety is morbidly afraid of mothers "going away and never come back". Even when mothers were in the other room, children growing up in the Early Church cried out loud for tender loving care. Most of the time, children were attached to the hip of mothers, not allowing mom out of their line of sight, with mothers reassuring children that they are going nowhere.

Children always cry for a reason. Most of the time, children growing up in the Early Church cried because they needed mom. Attachment was the first need that a mother tested for. When children refused the teat of mothers, they were introduced to solid food. When the child cried as being nursed, the child must have needed something else. Maybe the child was tired. Maybe the child was hungry. Maybe the lights were too bright. Maybe the sounds were too loud. Whatever the child needed, they got it.

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 burning sulfur, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!