Why do children steal

You might take some of it as a financial loss, with an eye for the future. In this article, you will find: Page 1 Page 2. Point 2: Of course it's not acceptable. It's embarrassing, shocking, and angering.

In this section, we'll talk about petty, occasional small-scale stealing. Kids steal for any number of reasons: Poor impulse control, as I mentioned above.

To be cool and impress her friends. When somebody else has a one-of-a-kind something she wants or needs. To get back at somebody stealing a bully's lunch money. When she wants or needs something, she doesn't have enough money, and you can't afford it either. When she's afraid to ask you for the money for this particular object condoms, a bra , or feels too embarrassed to purchase it. A child who lies and does not have many friends or does not want to play in groups may have poor self-esteem and be depressed.

Stealing often causes more concern to parents because it may happen outside the home and may affect other people. During the school years, stealing may be a sign of a problem, but it may also be a result of peer pressure and the need for the child to fit in. It is important to look at the whole situation.

Children under the age of 3 take things because they don't understand fully the difference between what is "mine" and what is not. They then may become possessive of their things and protect them. They don't steal with bad intentions.

Children between the ages of 3 and 7 start to respect things that belong to others. However, this age group will trade property without regard to value if something else is wanted. The respect for property continues in the school-aged child. By the time the child is 9, the child should respect the possessions of others and understand that stealing is wrong.

Children in this age group may continue to steal because of several factors, including the following:. They may try to become good at stealing to feel proud of something they have done if they don't receive positive feedback from their parents.

Children older than age of 3 should be confronted with any lying or stealing, but it is important to remember that most of these behaviors are part of growing up and do not represent severe problems. Each child is unique, and your child's healthcare provider should be involved with any concerns. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. In other cases, kids and teens steal because they can't afford to pay for what they need or want — for example, they may steal to get popular name-brand items.

In some cases, they may take things to support drug habits. Whatever the reason for stealing, parents need to get to the root of the behavior and address other underlying problems, like drug abuse, that may surface.

When a child has been caught stealing, a parent's reaction should depend on whether it's the first time or there's a pattern of stealing.

With very young children, parents need to help them understand that stealing is wrong — that when you take something without asking or paying for it, it hurts someone else. If a preschooler takes a piece of candy, for instance, parents can help the child return the item. If the child has already eaten the candy, parents can take the child back to the store to apologize and pay for it. With school-age kids, too, it's important to return the stolen item.

By the first and second grades, kids should know stealing is wrong. But they may need a better understanding of the consequences. Here's an example: If a child comes home with a friend's bracelet and it's clear the child took it without the friend's permission, the parent should talk to the child about how it would feel if a friend took something without asking first.

The parent should encourage the child to call the friend to apologize, explain what happened, and promise to return it. When teens steal, it's recommended that parents follow through with stricter consequences. For example, when a teen is caught stealing, the parent can take the teen back to the store and meet with the security department to explain and apologize for what happened.