Righteous pampering: Why parents are to pamper and baby their children

Many parents don't even want to be seen as pampering children. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, the fact of the matter is that parents should pamper and baby their children, not just some of the time, but all of the time.

Righteous pampering is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, with the burden of proof falling squarely on 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 children, with children resting securely in the good works of parents. Good works is defined here as doing good things for children, meeting a child's every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See Matt. 22:35-40, 25:31-46; 1Cor. 13:4-8.

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 children were initially 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 tine as deacon.

Righteous pampering refers to a certain specific form of pampering and babying children, using the context as a guidepost. For the first 6 years of childhood, children were in constant closeness to mothers, meaning that wherever mom went, so did her child. For the first 2 years of childhood, children were constantly held by mom, either in her loving arms, or on her back in a papoose bag when her hands were full. Between ages 2-6, children ranged next to mothers, seemingly attached to mothers at the hip, not allowing mothers outside of their line of sight, morbidly fearing that mothers would "go away and never come back". Whenever children cried, mothers cooed at their children before picking up the child, and from there, she diagnosed the need before meeting that need. Maybe the child was tired. Maybe the child was hungry. Maybe the child needed mom's milk, Maybe the child needed mom, period. Whatever the child needed, they got it. When mothers and children under age 6 were out and about in public, mom wrapped up her child next to her bosom in swaddling blankets, with the swaddling blankets - and the child with them - being tucked underneath the loose-fitting, revealing dress worn by mothers that resembled an apron. Come nightfall, children co-slept next to their mothers in skin-on-skin format. Children went naked wherever they went, with mothers also going naked within the context of the family home. This birth nudity setup helped facilitate easy skin-on-skin sustaining warmth with parents, with children experiencing rays of skin-on-skin contact merely even for being picked up. 

Children past age 6 played freely outside, naked. Children growing up in the Early Church engaged in wet and messy play, venturing farther and farther from home, exploring the terrain, having mud battles in the process. However, children first had to check in with mom, and tell her where they were going. Come evening, children were called by name - one by one - and were treated with a warm, homecooked meal from mom, after mom cleaned up the mud off of the child with a handrag. When older children weren't playing, they accompanied their mothers when running errands, and were given free spending money, with this teaching children the value of money once funds ran out. Older children alternated between closeness with mom and free play with other children in the neighborhood, with this intermittent closeness happening less and less frequently as children got older.

Children under age 6 were very much protected, in a sheltered way. Even when out and about, young children under age 6 were wrapped up in swaddling blankets next to the bosom of mothers. Children under age 6 are too young to appreciate the dangers outside, which included venomous snakes and scorpions, with there being no antivenom then. Even today, there exists dangers for children outside, namely busy streets and would-be kidnappers. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke your 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!