There are no infallible children. Stealing is just one of the minor mistakes they make. This bad habit can be kicked out of the child’s mind if parents approach the problem properly.
An experience shared by a friend is as follows: One day he went to a relative’s house with him for a wedding. When he came back, he found a small digital camera in his hand. He said that he bought it from his friend to take photos. He has a good vibe in photography. Soon came to know about it when a relative came to the house from the wedding house that he had stolen that camera from there. When asked, he admitted that this was true. The parents buy everything the kid needs. But how did he get this bad habit?
The stealing habit of the children is a cause of tension for the parents. But no parent likes to be told that their child is a thief. There are many reasons why a child turns out to be a thief. There are many ways to detect and correct this habit.
A child under the age of five may chase after an attractive toy. He/she does not seem to feel that the toy belongs to someone else. But by the time the children reach primary classes, they should be able to understand that stealing is wrong. Children of this age often develop the habit of stealing when their sense of self-control is lost. If parents happen to notice the habit of stealing in the child, they should deal with the situation very intelligently. Apart from that, care should be taken to avoid angry reactions or corporal punishments, which will only make the problem worse.
Children cannot Control their own Desires
If one child enthusiastically brings an attractive pen to the class, it’s quite natural that the next child will ask for a similar pen. Often children are unable to control their desires. So the child will try to grab the pen by knocking it over. Some older children also have difficulty controlling their emotions. Children can’t control the urge to take away their favorite one as soon as they see it. They should be trained to control their desires; try to convince them that excessive desires are dangerous.
Know the Needs
Children depend on their parents for all their needs. What would be the result, if the parents know the needs of their child and do not provide him/her with? He/she will look for other ways to have it.
Let the parents understand the needs of the child. Sometimes it may be just what he needs. The child who stole the digital camera was interested in photography and he needed the camera. So stealing was his way of possessing and owning the camera.
Need more Attention
Lack of emotional intimacy with parents can turn children into thieves. Problems at school or with friends and loneliness are a few other reasons. Depriving the child of the means of expressing his emotions can also lead to theft.
Some children lack in the attention and care they need. This can lead the children to feel unloved and uncared for. This feeling can sometimes be right or wrong. Due to the lack of emotional attachments, children’s minds may go after other areas of interest. Sometimes it can be with toys or money. These can be possessed by stealing, and the child will strive to solve the problem somehow.
Stealing Expresses a Sense of Independence
Children know that they cannot stand on their own feet. Some children may need help from others to meet all their needs. Such children may give expression to their sense of independence by stealing. Stealing can be a protest against having to depend on others for anything and everything.
Peer Influence
There is a saying that a good friend does not need a mirror. Older children have a tendency to imitate their peers. If the child belongs to a group of friends who consider stealing as something silly, there is a possibility that he will turn out to be a thief. He can show off his cleverness among his friends through stealing.
What to do if you recognize a bad habit?
Be Calm
Don’t explode in anger when you find out that your child has stolen something. It does not make sense to assume that a child is a thief and a criminal because he has stolen something. It should be seen as a minor mistake he makes. Be calm and strive to convince him that stealing is wrong.
Do not Approach the Problem Personally
Children may also steal something just to get the attention of their parents. Don’t take the incident as a personal protest against you. Try to make out the reasons behind such an action.
Don’t Portray as a Criminal
Try not to blame the child even if there is circumstantial evidence for theft. Do not try to prove theft by questioning. The child may try to evade punishments by telling lies. Remember, all kinds of questioning can lead to the entrenchment of dishonesty. Now, if the child tells the truth, what will you do? Will he be punished for stealing? In that case it is possible that the child will get the impression that if he tells the truth, he will be punished.
Make Sure, the Child is Convinced that Stealing is Wrong
Make the child understand that theft is a serious mistake. Try asking questions like, ‘Would you tolerate another boy stealing your pocket money? ‘If you take someone else’s money, would they like it?’
What are you to do if you find out your child has stolen a book from the store? Bring the child to the store and return the book. The shopkeeper should also be told that the mistake won’t be repeated. Parents should encourage the child to apologize and correct the mistake.
Avoid the Situations
It is important to keep away from situations for stealing. What if you have to leave the kids at home for a wedding or party? There is money in the cupboard, and we have to secretly tell the daughter who is playing with the son to keep it until we come back. Care should be taken not to send children who are prone to theft for shopping with a lot of money.
Find out Why it was Stolen
Do not hesitate to give special attention and care to the child if the parents need it.
Continue to Believe in Children
Just stealing once does not make your child a life-long thief. Children need to feel that their parents trust and love them despite a single incident of stealing.
Parents should be Role Models
Children grow up observing their parents. Parents should be role models for children in the practice of honesty. If you are a parent who grabs a pen and paper from the office and brings it home, your kids might act similarly. Stealing can be viewed as any other mistake children make. Â But they can and should be corrected. Approach the problem in the right way and you can get rid of this bad habit in your child.