Positive reinforcement: Understanding the Judeo-Christian tradition of positive reinforcement

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, most American parents think that discipline equates to punishment. However, the fact of the matter is that God's Law prescribes a specific form of discipline, known as positive reinforcement.

God's Law on child discipline is stated in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza clarifies for the second that discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement, with this entitlement including any parent anger directed towards children. It is not enough to stop spanking or punishing children - you need to avoid offense in children. However, it is inevitable that children's feelings are hurt in the course of parenting, in which case parents should be willing to give a meaningful apology when they hurt their children's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents. However, if you ever lose your cool as a parent, you should definitely apologize to your child, and then commit never to losing your cool with your child ever again, as losingj your cool alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement even in the Early Church. The first stanza of this commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christians in the parish at Ephesus who brought with them into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating as "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking and other forms of punishment of children. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

This second stanza clarifies what discipline is acceptable, with the first stanza ruling out anything punitive with a child. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to a certain specific form of nurturing, namely of the teaching sort. Children growing up in the Early Church were left to form their own discipline, and when they were caught in the act of showing discipline, they were praised and encouraged to keep up the good work. Christian parents in the Early Church set a good example for their children to follow, with this example being instead backed up by praise and encouragement, as opposed to punishment and force. Children also need religious instruction from fathers, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore. Whenever the child was caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were praised and encouraged to keep up the Bible study, with fathers saying to children "you can ask me anything you want about that book". From there, religious instruction came in the form of question and answer, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers as to the context. These two stanzas work together to instruct parents in the Hebraic tradition of positive reinforcement, with this Judeo-Christian tradition dating centuries before even the coming of Christ. 

Positive reinforcement should not include rewards systems. Rewards systems count as punishment when the child does not get their desired prize. Instead, positive reinforcement should be spontaneous in nature. Whenever you see discipline in a child, praise and reward them for it. From there, the praised behavior then shows more and more, with children being eager to impress fathers in particular.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath 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!