Children’s fingers are notoriously sticky, making it easy to magically stuff their pockets with whatever they hold. Before you start feeling sorry for yourself because you’re hiding a tiny thief in your home, learning more about theft and the best ways to deal with it is essential. 

Also Read: Difference Between Children And Kids

• Get a Handle on Why Children Steal 

“Lying” and “stealing” are adult concepts that may be lost on younger listeners. It is not evidenced that your child is already a delinquent if you find candy in a sticky fist after passing through a checkout line or a toy car in the pocket of a four-year-old after visiting a friend’s house. 

Preschoolers understand possession to mean ownership. For a kid, it seems like he should be able to take everything he wants from the world. The concepts of “mine” and “yours” are not well developed in children under four. One may argue that anything is “my.” Until you tell them, they have no idea that stealing a piece of candy from the grocery store is wrong. Until his parents tell him otherwise, a child thinks he has done nothing wrong. 

Most preschoolers cannot control their actions. They see the toy, decide they must have it, and take it without questioning whether or not what they’re doing is moral. To their surprise, they don’t feel bad after giving in to their urge. The likelihood of a child helping themselves increases if they are impulsive. 

Age Range of Responsibility 

Between the ages of five and seven, kids begin to get a vague understanding of the moral wrongness of stealing. They have the cognitive capacity to grasp the idea of property ownership and legal protections. 

They learn the hard way that the world does not belong to them and start to form moral judgments about whether or not it is acceptable to steal. 

Jimmy might agree that Jason shouldn’t be allowed to keep the baseball cards he “borrowed,” but the next day, he might want to keep playing with Jeff’s prized cowboy pistol and take it home with him. The child may also develop into a more skilled thief at this stage. Even so, he is deterred less by an awareness of the moral wrongness of stealing than by the fear of adult retaliation. 

Stopping and teaching the wrongness of petty theft may seem minor, but developing integrity in even small situations paves the way for tremendous success in the future. A youngster needs to develop self-control, the ability to defer gratification, and respect for the rights and property of others. 

• Attachment Parenting Should Be Used 

The ideas are ingested more thoroughly and by a younger generation. Young people exposed to the internet at a young age tend to be more empathetic and respectful of the rights of others. The idea who are socially engaged 

Children who have an attachment to their parents are easier to instill morals and ethics. These young people have the capacity for empathy and an awareness of their actions’ ripple effects on others’ lives. And they have parents who are paying attention and spending enough time with their kids to spot when they’re getting into trouble. 

Children raised in modern technological societies have an innate appreciation for the importance of sustaining trust in relationships. Violating this trust involves dishonesty, infidelity, and theft. 

Because of their in-depth familiarity with their children, attachment parents can spot signs of disobedience in their children’s facial expressions and body language. 

In addition, when a parent and child have a strong bond, the child is more receptive to parental guidance and ideals. A child with a strong relationship with their parents is more likely, to tell the truth if questioned about questionable behavior. 

When kids do something wrong, they feel bad and know their parents can see through their “suspicious expression,” so they have a more challenging time lying about it. 

• Temptation Should Not Be Led Them Into

The younger generation often treats the financial resources of their parents and other relatives as common funds. Sometimes they tell themselves, “I’ll return it as soon as possible.” It’s important to instill in your kids the value of secrecy regarding their money. Keep your cash hidden away in a safe and secure container.

One should always demand an “IOU” when borrowing money to avoid confusion about who owes what. Keep your cash hidden, except for the modest quantities you’ll need to carry around and request. Family members trust one another, but it’s important to remember that they’re still human and not to put them in a position where they could be tempted. 

Where were you holding your five bucks if you came to us complaining that someone stole them? Since we’ve established that conscience is active, we make no effort to identify the offender. As such, we refuse to be put in the position of guarding the financial assets of mature people to handle this on their own. After all, siblings aren’t the only suspects. Because of this, our young people have learned that you can’t always put your trust in people. It is a valuable life lesson in and of itself. 

• Instill a Sense of Personal Responsibility 

Toddlers are unable to grasp the concepts of possession and theft. A toddler has claimed ownership of everything. A youngster between the ages of two and four can get the idea of ownership (the toy is not his) but may still mistakenly assume that the object is his. Start explaining the difference between “mine” and “yours” at two. 

If your toddler is having a toy fight, you can play referee and hand the toy to the child who has been playing with it the longest but doesn’t expect this notion to click until they’re four. Keep an eye out for further chances to stress the importance of establishing ownership: “Mary’s toy,” What are these shoes? /Whose teddy bear is this/teddy? Here’s Billy’s bear. After your child has a firm grip on the concept of ownership and the rights that come with it, you may move on to teaching the moral lesson that it is terrible to violate those rights. 

The right kind of wishful ownership. When his detective parents find a mysterious object in their son’s backpack, the youngster asserts, “It’s mine.” You wish the toy belonged to you,” the parent says. But now you must reveal to papa who the rightful owner of this toy is. 

The youngster admits, “Johnny.” You take advantage of the situation by explaining that if Johnny had taken your toy, “especially if it was one you liked,” you would be devastated by its loss. In your opinion, what should he do? Instead of forcing values on a youngster, having them discover them on their own is more effective. If possible, you want the suggestion to “give it back” to originate from the youngster. 

• Make Up for the Theft 

Sometimes it takes skilled bargaining to get the stuff back from the thief. Teaching a youngster that stealing is bad and that wrongs must be made right is accomplished by encouraging and assisting the child in returning stolen goods. Find an empty candy wrapper? Take the guilty party back to the store with you, with an apology and some cash. 

• Determine the Cause 

Learn the child’s motivations for stealing. A child who persists in stealing despite repeated lectures on the importance of being honest likely has some underlying issue that has to be addressed. Does the kid seem angry? Is he stealing as a form of self-soothing? Do they feel desperate for cash and that stealing is the only way to get it? Then you should provide them with a stipend. Find him some odd jobs, please. Teach the child the value of hard work so he may earn the toys instead of taking them. Young people who frequently steal have low self-esteem and resort to crime to feel better about themselves or get positive attention—as with managing other behavioral problems, taking inventory of your overall family circumstances is often vital. Should you be paying more attention to your kid? It could be time to rearrange your priorities and get back in touch with your kid. 

• Look Out For These Indicators of a Child’s Propensity to Steal

Divorce is only one example of a life change that can lead to increased isolation and boredom. Lie-telling and stealing should decrease if you work with your child to manage these dangers.

• Low sense of worth 
• A lack of self-control coupled with intense desire. 
• General Lack of empathy 
• No relation 
• Angry 

Identifying the root causes of theft is crucial. Problems like chronic dishonesty and theft are likely to escalate if not addressed. The more the child misbehaves, the more he believes that his actions are acceptable. 

The remorseless kid is likelier to grow up to be a reckless adult. He hardens his heart and refuses to listen to his morals or your advice. Even if a child is not “caught in the act,” he will experience enough guilt from attachment parenting to punish himself adequately. He will have no desire to return to his old ways. 

• Honor Truthfulness 

A young child, perhaps five or six years old, discovers a wallet and gives it to you. Full credit must be given to him for his bravery. “I appreciate you sharing the wallet you found with Mommy. Let’s try to identify its owner now. I’m willing to wager that the owner will be overjoyed that you returned their lost item, just as if someone returned your prized possession. Thank you for being honest is not an appropriate response. You probably wouldn’t want to suggest dishonesty or theft to kids who hadn’t even considered keeping a wallet. Your youngster must understand that they’ve met or exceeded your expectations regardless of the amount of praise you give them.