Time-in: Why mammary closeness is the biblical way of doing time-in

Many parents today punish their children, even for the smallest of infractions. The abuse pattern in America usually comes the same way - time-out other false imprisonment techniques, alongside the occasional disciplinary spanking done "out of love". The main alternative to abusing your child is time-in. Time-in can come in many forms. But, the one biblical way of doing time-in is mammary closeness.

Mammary closeness is 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 children, with children resting securely in the good works of parents. Good works refers here to doing good things for children, namely meeting the child's every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also Matt. 22:35-40, 25:31-46, 1 Cor. 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 their 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 time as deacon. 

Time-in has many applications. Some parents kneel down to their child's level. Some parents send their children to a "calming corner". However, the biblical way of doing time-in is mammary closeness. When children growing up in the Early Church cried, mothers cooed at children before picking the child up. From there, she diagnosed the need before meeting it. The first place mothers looked for in terms of needs was mammary closeness, meaning children were held close to the bosom of mothers, especially for the first 6 years of childhood. This mammary closeness usually came in skin-on-skin format.

Mammary closeness and breastfeeding go hand in hand. Milk-dependent children always latch onto the teat of mothers. Mothers breastfed whenever they were summoned to by their child, including in public. Children are ready for solid foods once they refuse the teat of mothers. This refusal usually happened at around age 2. However, some breastfeeding didn't end until age 6 or even beyond. Children usually lose their baby teeth around age 6 because that is when some children stop latching onto the teat of mothers. 

The female breasts are not intended primarily for men to ogle. Instead, a woman's breast was designed by God to nurture children. The cleavage of mothers is designed to cushion the head of a crying child. The nipples of the mother are there to nourish children. Try mammary closeness. Once you give your child skin-on-skin mammary closeness, you might just regret doing it sooner. 

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!