If a woman was careless or negligent and forgot to light the Shabbos candles, then she needs to start lighting one extra candle each week. For example, if she was always lighting five candles, she now needs to light six candles on a regular basis. This will serve for her as a reminder to be more careful with this mitzvah in the future. If however the reason she did not light was because it was something out of her control, such as having to take a child to the emergency room and did not get back until after sunset, got stuck in a traffic jam and had to walk home and did not arrive until after sunset, etc. she would not have to light extra candles.

One never decreases the number of candles lit. That is, if she was lighting six candles and one of her children r"l passes away, she continues to light six. Likewise, when the children get married and move out, she still light the same number of candles as before.

If one forgot to recite the Brocho on the candles, she may do so as long as the candles are still burning. If however she is not sure if she said the brocho or not, she should not say it.
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