Bar (Bat) Mitzvah literally translates to “son (daughter) of the commandment” and implies that a child has matured to the age where he/she is now a responsible and obligated part of the Jewish community.
Contrary to popular parlance, a child does not have a bar or bat mitzvah. This usage is not only technically incorrect; it implies that there is some sort of one-off event that can be seen to exist in isolation. Rather, one becomes bar mitzvah. This is a status change within the Jewish community, one that lasts for the rest of his life. Becoming bar or bat mitzvah should, ideally, be the beginning of a deeper relationship with Judaism and an increased involvement in the Jewish community.