Righteous co-sleeping: Why God wants you to sleep next to your child at night

Many parents think that co-sleeping is the irresponsible choice on the part of parents. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents don't want a child sharing a bed with them. However, the fact of the matter is that parents should co-sleep next to children, just as the ancients in the Bible did for their children. Not only does it gel a bond with children, but it also helps prevent child sexual abuse.

Righteous co-sleeping 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 their children, with children resting securely in the good works of parents. Good works was defined then as doing good things for children, meeting children's every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return. See also 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 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 their children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment 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.

Bedtime refusal is a common motive for punishing children. Most children under age 6 refuse to go to bed on their own. However, the fact of the matter is that children under age 6 are too young to sleep on their own. Children under age 6 have primal fears of being devoured by predators when they are left in a room isolated and alone. You might think that predators don't exist today. You would be wrong. Most child sexual abuse happens in the form of a bedtime ritual. Christian parents in the Early Church had it all figured out - meaning the mother was right there in co-sleeping closeness, so that nothing could happen. The father slept on one side of the mother, and the children on the other side of mom. 

The most common excuse for not co-sleeping next to children is fearmongering on the part of pediatricians and mental health professionals serving children, namely with frightening terms such as "sleep dependence". However, Christian parents in the Early Church slept next to their children every night, in skin-on-skin format, with this co-sleeping usually lasting until the onset of puberty, which was when most children wanted their own place to sleep. However, even in the case of extended co-sleeping - meaning into the teen years - co-sleeping always had an end to it. 

Children co-slept next to parents in the Early Church as a means for parents to gel a bond with their children. The family bed was a thing then, with the family bed coming completely in the nude. Children went naked wherever they went, with parents going naked within the context of the family home. Fathers hung up their robe, and mothers hung up their dress, with the children being in a loving state of birth nudity. Mothers held children close, with young children under age 6 not wanting to leave her side. 

I myself was hurt badly by my father's attempts to crack down on my attempts to climb into bed with mom. He grabbed me by the throat, and installed locks on their bedroom door. I will always remember that from my parents, even if I do forgive them. I forgive my parents, but I never will forget what they did to me. I was mainly targeted with false imprisonment tactics such as time-out and grounding, as well as a few disciplinary spankings done "out of love". I am now ANGRY at parents for how I was treated as a child. I started sleeping on my own at age 16, as a means to prove my independence, meaning there was no need for punishing me when all I wanted was my mom comforting me for insomnia as a part of bipolar mania.

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!