How to Address Childhood Stealing
Whether your little one plucked a new toy off the shelves at the store without paying or your child took a belonging from a sibling, stealing can leave parents feeling angry and embarrassed. Though the knowledge can be troubling, it does not mean your child is fated for a life of crime. Parents have several means of addressing a child who steals and determining the motivation for stealing, whether it happens once or it is a chronic problem.
Instructions
Ask your child why he took something. Until the age of 7, children might not understand that it is wrong to take objects without asking or paying for them, according to Boston Children's Hospital. Older children might steal because of peer pressure, high expectations, to get attention or to make friends. Discuss what your child might need from you. Some children conclude that any attention is better than no attention at all, according to Boston Children's Hospital. Providing more supervision and spending more one-on-one time with your daughter might make her less inclined to steal. Explain that taking something without permission or without paying for it is wrong and unacceptable. Even if the problem happens once, children should not be let off the hook, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Consider how your son can repair the damage done. Children should never profit from stealing, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Your son should return the item or work to compensate the person. Schedule an appointment with your child's doctor if your daughter shows no concern for stealing or continues doing it. If stealing is a habit, it is unlikely that parents alone can help a child change the behavior, according to KidsHealth. Previous:What Can Parents Do About Biting in Preschool? Next:How to Discipline Your Children When They Get Caught Cheating
