A daughter's first communion is recognized as one of the most significant events in her lifetime. Usually occurring when she is in second or third grade, this sacrament welcomes the youthful Catholic to receive communion and fully engage in the Mass. To participate, it is advisable to purchase the clothing and accessories that are needed for the special occasion itself, such as a white dress, veil, shoes and anything else needed.

So that you can prepare your daughter for her first communion, you will have to do more than shopping. Sacraments are taught to children who attend a Catholic school, but parents themselves will likely need to help teach their children many more things. A child has to know what the sacrament is, so continue reading to learn more about what you need to know about teaching your child.

First, it's vital that your child has been baptized before you get too far into the teaching process. Baptism is an important part of the Catholic religion. It is the starting point that must take place just before the child can even receive any of the other six sacraments. Everyone who has already been baptized in the Catholic Church has godparents. If the godparents have time, they can help out with getting your child prepared for her first communion. If this is just not possible, Catholic churches typically offer classes that will help your daughter get prepared.

Now and again, a child doesn't yet have the maturity to grasp what the sacrament is. The priest who is to celebrate the sacrament is the final judge of the child's readiness. If your child is not prepared, in most cases it won't cause any damage to wait.

Traditionally, Catholic children were required to obtain the sacrament of penance, or confession, before they were able to receive communion. The reason behind this is so that the child will be regarded as being free of sin before accepting the Eucharist. But over time, some churches feel it's preferable to hold off on confession until a later time when a child really understands what it means to be absolved of sin. You will need to check with your particular church to learn whether or not confession must come before or after your daughter's first communion.

It's not unheard of for some children to feel a little bit of stage fright in front of many people when it comes to the Eucharist. They may feel that they won't do it properly or that they'll drop the Eucharist. This means that you should encourage them to practice at home with simple crackers.

It's also a good idea to invite family, especially grandparents, to celebrate. Some families plan parties at their homes, and some would rather commemorate the occasion at a favorite restaurant. Because it's such a special and important celebration, it's advisable to plan for some sort of special event afterward. Your child will be looking forward to the occasion, and she will remember it for a long time to come.

You'll want to make sure to purchase the traditional white communion dress and veil for your child. While the clothing items don't make her anymore religious than if she didn't have them, the clothing does have significant symbolism for the event. She should certainly wear white tights with white dress shoes to complement her dress and veil. Since most girls are about seven or eight when they have their first communion, make-up is not necessary. Most likely, you will take her picture in her white communion veil and dress, and she will probably later look at that photograph, remembering how innocent and hopeful she was at that moment.