Is Your Child Stealing Your Things?
 You found out that your ring or wristwatch is gone. You don't suspect your six year old. For goodness sake, he's still a baby! Besides, he has his own kiddie wristwatch. But when you find your passport wallet in his school bag, you panic. Your child is stealing from you! How could this happen?
You shouldn't worry about your child becoming a criminal when he becomes an adult because stealing is always an experience every child goes through. Everybody at one point in their lives has stolen from their parents, siblings, and schoolmates. It could be motivated by loneliness or the need to have the things he cannot buy. They steal crayons and candies while the older ones pilfer cash from their parent's leather money clip.
Children under the age of six steal because they do not understand why it is wrong to get things that belong to another. They cannot comprehend the idea of "yours" and "mine." If they want something, they must have it. They get the things they want without being furtive about it.
Likewise, if they admire an older sibling's favorite gadget or a parent's personalized business card holder, they'll take it, not because they want these things, but they want to be like the people they admire.
Educate Not Scold
If you catch your preschooler, wearing your ring your child wants to be like you. It is not the ring that fancies him, but you should call his attention that the ring is yours not his. Scolding him without spelling things out will humiliate him, not teach him why what he has done is not right.
Should this habit continues despite your efforts and your child starts to take money from your leather money clip, it is time to dig deeper to find out why. Children who feel they are neglected or lonely often resort to stealing. This is a cry for help, and you should step in with loving understanding.
If you feel inadequate to deal with the situation, seek professional help. A child counselor can nip in the bud kleptomaniac tendencies. |
