How do I explain __ to my kids?

1. Share anything on your heart. No matter what, God wants to hear everything you're thinking and feeling. (Parents can model this in a beautiful way! We can work to set aside time to listen fully to our children when they speak.)
2. God gives what we ask for, or something even better. Though our kids might want to eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we know that that's not what is best for them. God is like that, too. Though it might make us sad not to have what we want when we want it, we can trust that God knows what is best for us and will only give us something truly good.

See this website for a great step-by-step explanation.

• Explain sin - Give your child a big hug and tell them this is what it's like to be in union with God. Tell your child that sometimes we make decisions that turn us away from love (like refusing to share or saying something unkind). With each act that is unloving, your child takes a step away from your hug. Sin is like this: Love (God) never moves, but when we sin, we move away from God. 
• Explain the purpose of Confession - Confession turns us back towards Love. It's running back into God's arms.
• Why we don't just confess our sins to God - We can and should tell God all of our thoughts. By walking to Confession and saying our sins out loud to a priest, we use our bodies and our souls to tell God we're sorry.
  

An indulgence is “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned.”

This means that when we sin, we need repent, ask God for forgiveness (to "revoke" the eternal punishment for them) and we also need to there is also a need to remit the temporal punishment. This means that we need to do what we can to correct the effects of our sins or make things right.

For example:

• If you hurt your brother, he might forgive you, but he still has to heal from the effects of what you did (the pain takes time to go away, the bruise might need to fade, etc.)

• If you make a mess because you are mad at your mom, she might forgive you, but you still need to clean up your room.

• If you steal your sister's favorite toy, she may forgive you, but you still need to return the stolen toy.

Poor souls in Purgatory are still suffering the effects of sin in their souls as they get "cleaned up" before they can go to Heaven. These people have already been forgiven by God and will eventually get to Heaven, but it will take some time for them to "clean up their rooms" (a.k.a. make up for the effects of the sin on their soul).

There is something WE can do while still on Earth to help them!

We can offer something called a plenary indulgence for them so that all the “clean up” needed in Purgatory for their sins on earth is completed. It's like when you decide to help someone clean up a mess you didn't help make, just because it's the right thing to do. 

Offering a plenary indulgence is just one way Catholics can help each other. 

The Saints in Heaven (the Church Triumphant) can pray for us here on earth while we (the Church Militant) can pray for the souls in Purgatory (the Church Suffering). (see image below)

Life with young kids can sometimes feel like running around putting out one fire after another. So how can we start teaching our babies and toddlers about Jesus?

• Pray out loud as a family. Even if your baby can't participate, start praying out loud as a family. Pray at meals and throughout your day so prayer and conversation with Jesus is a part of daily life. 
• Talk about Jesus. Tell your child, "we're getting ready to go see Jesus" as you get ready for Mass. Point to the tabernacle at church and say, "This is where Jesus lives." Point to a crucifix in your home and say, "when I'm sad, I know Jesus is with me." If you express joy and reverence when talking about Jesus as an active part of your life, your child will pick up on this.
• Read books and play with toys relating to Jesus and the saints. Incorporate the stories of Jesus in your child's day-to-day life. This becomes the fabric of your child's understanding of the world! Some resources include:
  • Be a Heart
  • Shining Light Dolls
  • Chews Life
  • The Little Rose Shop
  • Holy Heroes