Age 7 at the earliest? I sincerely hope you keep this a closely guarded secret in your youth Sunday Schools. :) So, actual sin isn't possible until the age of reason? "Honor thy father and thy mother" means nothing until the age of reason? I have no problem with the idea of them not being held accountable on the same level as us in terms of salvation, but I've never heard of this blank check idea before for children that old. All this prompts me to ask how you define the age of reason?
BTW, I love invincible ignorance! Let's face it, my only shot at heaven is that I am LOADED with it. :)
No, actual sin is not possible before the age of reason. If a child commits an act that would be sinful coming from a mature mind, then it might be a sin of the parent, but never of the child. All the Commandments are to be obeyed by all, but if a child breaks a commandment, he is not sinning. The parent has an obligation to rear the children properly of course, and failure to do so is a sin on the parent.
There is no legalistic definition of the age of reason. When a child shows an ability to act like a moral agent, the parent is advised to confirm the child in the faith and introduce him to sacramental life, including confessions. It is a gradual process. It is generally thought that the age of reason arrives between 7 and 14, depending on the child and the circumstance of upbringing. Even in an adult, the mechanism of invincible ignorance continues to operate in one who is prevented by circumstance to learn the full extent of the Divine Law. It is assumed though that one past the age of reason is at least vincible as regards the Natural Law, such as the Ten Commandments.
I love invincible ignorance
You losing it rapidly...