“Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and…service are the rule.” Catechism 2223

Your role as the parent of a Reconciliation candidate is indispensable, because it is primarily within the family that your child will discover something of God's love and forgiveness as they experience the love and forgiveness of parents and family. Parents have an-ongoing responsibility to deepen the faith-life of all family members so that spiritual growth takes place in each individual and in the faith community as a whole. An attitude of reconciliation should be consciously developed as part of this faith-life. Parents are preparing children for penance from earliest childhood through their attitudes of love and forgiveness. This reconciling faith-life should also extend outward beyond the family. As parents, your responsibilities will include two main components, which center on your own spiritual life.

1. Pray. Pray for your child as they prepare for Reconciliation. Pray with your child as they prepare for Reconciliation. Pray as a family; even simple prayers like the Grace Before Meals or a family rosary can have a huge impact on your child’s spiritual life. Pray for strong, positive influences and role models to help guide your children when you can’t be there. Pour out your thoughts and concerns to the Lord – it makes Him happy.

2. Grow in grace and understanding by doing the following: Be consistent about what you tell your child is right or wrong. Do not suggest sins to your child. If no sins are recognized, then the child is not responsible for them. Help your child to know the difference between things done "by accident" or "on purpose." Discuss real situations and help your child to make judgments about them. When something wrong is done, help to understand WHY it is wrong. Do not confuse what annoys you with what is really wrong. Do not bear a grudge about something already forgiven. Forgive completely. Pray with your child. Model forgiveness. Do not even indirectly instill fear into your child about anything to do with confessing.