At what age to stop taking your young child to confession with you?

[Ophelia23]

I have a little one. Two and a half, to be precise. When her papa isn’t available, she simply comes into the confessional with me. I haven’t had to do this for about 6 months, but she has grown and matured an awful lot in that time. Tonight is a penance service, and I would like to go… but she will likely need to come in to the confessional with me.

I am not concerned about her understanding what these words mean exactly, but I am concerned about her repeating what she has heard. Is this a fair concern? I know it’s one thing to bring a baby in with you, but I’m not sure… she isn’t a baby any more. She’s a smart, bright, interested little girl. Is it still acceptable for me to bring her in with me?

 

[KCT]

Look around the church for someone you know to watch her for a few moments while you confess.

 

[CatholicRaven]

I haven’t been able to take my kids in with me once they’re around 2, simply because they’d be too much of a handful and make noise while I was trying to listen to Father, so I haven’t dealt with this. But I would think it would depend on what you are confessing, and whether you feel it would be something okay for her to repeat outside the confessional, because that could certainly be a real concern IMO.

Do you know anyone else who might be going to the service? I might call and ask another mom that I knew and trusted if she was going, and ask her to watch my little one in the pews for a few minutes while I was in the confessional; I’d happily offer to do the same for her if necessary.

If that’s not an option, does your daughter like music? Perhaps you could put some earphones on her with a small mp3 player with a few appropriate songs she likes, just while you’re in there, so she wouldn’t hear things you don’t want her to repeat? That’s assuming that she won’t fuss too much about it when you need to put them away… and I’d suggest calling ahead and asking the priest if that would be okay for your situation.

Or you could wait and schedule a confession with the priest at a time when you know your little one will have her papa’s supervision.

Prayers that it all works out for you!

 

[peacoat]

As a young adult, It’d be my pleasure to help a mom out for a few minutes.
Call up some friends and see if you can swap kid-duty so you can go to confession.
If there aren’t many people there maybe a nearby priest can entertain her for a moment.

 

[Marie1234]

If the child is old enough to talk, I wouldn’t take him/her in the confessional with me… Children do love to repeat what they hear

Just my opinion.

 

[Ophelia23]

Thanks all for your ideas and opinions. I really think you are all quite right–I should find a way for her to be occupied while I go for my confession. I don’t quite know anybody at the parish to entrust her to, but I have a young woman in mind. She is quite nice, and I’m sure she would be glad to wait with her in the pew for a few quick minutes. I think I’ll give that a try.

Thank you again, and God bless!!