Temper tantrums: Why not to use punitive measures on a tantrumming child

Most parents have been there. A child kicking and screaming on the ground, in the throes of a temper tantrum. Most American parents punish their children for temper tantrums, or else use punitive measures on them. However, there are better ways to deal with a tantrumming child than using punitive measures on them. 

God's Law on dealing with temper tantrums is spelled out in Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here not simply to spanking a tantrumming child, or else to punishing a child altogether for that reason. The Bible here prohibits any entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. Offense in children involves hurt feelings that parents refuse to apologize for, at minimum. One thing that hurts a child's feelings is when their cries are not tended to, with this being deemed an offense by omission. However, most parents not only refuse to tend to their tantrumming children, but punish their children for tantrumming, or else lose their cool with a tantrumming child. If you ever lose your cool with their child as a parent, including when your child is throwing a temper tantrum, you definitely need to give a formal apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for hurting your feelings with my temper", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin term roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children  However, this commandment ultimately was received by the parish at Colossae as prohibiting causing offenses in children as perceived by the child, at minimum. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

Children usually throw temper tantrums for 2 reasons. Either they have vulnerable needs that need being met, or else cannot accept the word "no". Most children under age 8 have limited control over their own emotions, and throw a temper tantrum because of this. Children aren't out to get you. They are doing the best that they can.

Parents in the Early Church gave their child most everything that they wanted, and absolutely everything that that they needed. Benign wants then were seen then as the same as needs. Parents then only said "no" when children behaved unsafely, with children otherwise having free reign.

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!