Catholic parents...how often do your children go to confession?

[acorntree]

do you encourage them to go once in lent and once in advent, or more often, or less often...we're coming up to penance service time of year again and I wondered what others think is reasonable?

My 2 are too young yet however my friend's 3 all go on a monthly/6 weekly basis and always include lent and and advent as far as poss.... I seem to remember monthly confession growing up..

I used to go monthly at school but don't go at all regularly as an adult. That said, DD is making her first communion this year and i have said I will go when she does. We've been doing a lot of work on reconciliation in our parents' classes and our parish priest is not interested in the "confession" side of the sacrament and said that he thought monthly attendance was ridiculous for children and "ordinary folk". He's not big on introspection as a rule.

what kind of crimes child could confess??

Not crimes, sins - lies, greed, selfishness, bad language, enviousness. Any child over the age of reason is capable of these, not on any grand scale, mind you, but certainly on a regular basis.

I think confession is an excellent way to get children to think about their behaviour. Worked for me.

My children are too young but I go to confession every 4-6 weeks.

I don't agree with confession for a kick-off but thought I'd contribute toward the discussion.

It matters not the age of person as whether they are able to commit sin but rather that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) and are in need of salvation.

The issue of confession itself is another matter.