stealing

I hate, hate, hate, living with someone who steals! Out of all of the kids I'm raising only 2 have had problems with stealing. I don't mean the take a piece of candy kind of stealing. All of my very young children have stolen at some point and time. I know Brian stole a chocolate Easter egg once. I made him take it back, half eaten and tell the clerk he was sorry. We paid for the egg and I made him throw the half eaten egg in the garbage at the store. Tabitha stole gum once when she was about 5. We took that back and paid for it. She gave that gum to her cousins when we got home. Stories like this are common with little kids. They learn its not OK. They are taught a lesson and most of the time it only takes once. Sometimes it has taken twice. One child who is in his teens still steals. I don't know if he will ever stop. If not he will get caught and go to prison. Point blank. It will happen. He may get by with it once or twice but eventually he'll get caught. I've caught this child probably 25 times in 14 years. Always a consequence is given. He still continues to steal. Sooner or later he'll go from, DVDs, change, video games, snacks or clothes to the big time. He already has once. They did not press charges. It was a small item. I have done my job as his mother to teach him every way I know how NOT to steal. So he knows it's wrong, he knows the consequence. It's his choice. I've decided natural consequence will take it 's course.

The next child is 12. She came to me stealing. Candy from school in Kindergarten. Snacks from home. Change from the car. She was put in therapy. I thought it got better. It did not. She just finished 5th grade. The teachers feel sorry for this child. She has a natural smile, is very charming and cute. She had some trouble in 1st and 2nd grade. I addressed the issue and moved on. She seems to get better and then go off the deep end. She stole several times in the third grade, once that no one even told me about until weeks after. Again someone felt sorry for the poor little adopted girl whose mom don't take pity on her and expects the same from her as she does every one else. It got really bad the next year. She was caught red handed stealing snacks from a teachers room. A slap on the had was all she got from the school. She stole $20 from a teachers purse. This got every ones attention. They called in a sheriff's dept to try and scare her on the right track. She never shed a tear. Didn't even flinch. I told them if she ever stole again to just call the police and take her straight to JV. Don't call me. If she is not taught now, it will be too late. Well. about two weeks or so (I forget exactly how long, but not too long) She was caught stealing again. Prizes from the prize box. Did they call the police? NO! they suspended her two days. It just happen to be 3 days until school was out, and a big party was planned for the end of the year. 2 days, no way, I kept her out the last day too. She did not deserve a party. So she started 5th grade off and did do better. Or at least made me think she done better at school. However at home she continued to steal. The last straw was about 8 days before school was out. She was changing clothes at school. Another student was bringing her clothes and she was changing into them at school and then again before she came home. I was livid. So I pulled her out. I will home school her. This was working out great. She has made some great improvements. UNTIL TODAY! She had a psychologist appointment yesterday. I bragged and bragged about how well she was doing. I should have known better. It seems like every time she takes a step forward she falls flat on her face in no time. I do know that sometimes kids don't feel worthy. Is this her problem? She's in therapy. I try my best to build her up. But when she steals I want to go crazy. And sometime I do. WHY? I had given her money on two occasions. Not a lot, but some change. A couple of dollars. She has went twice to the store. Then today she had more money. What? Where did you get that. It all comes out. She stole the money from my room. What am I too do? I guess it will be another child that will have to have serious consequences for it to ever make a difference, and then who knows. I'm very frustrated about it. I have a whole year to work on it. Time with mom. Maybe that will help.