A child steals money from parents: what to do?

Every parent wants his child to grow up healthy, happy and intelligent, and most importantly, to obey his mom and dad. After all, from the height of adult years, it seems to us that we all know and are able to better them. But it so happens that rainbow ideas about the ideal behavior of a child are broken about the harsh reality - money is stolen by a son or daughter. What to do in this situation? Calm down and be reconciled with the fact that many children carry money or go to the principle and severely punish the child, so that in the future it will be disgraced?

This is a rather complicated question and any actions should be carefully considered. After all, even a carelessly abandoned word can cause a cold relationship with a child in the future. Sometimes rash actions lead to child resentment, which remains with the child for many years.In this article we will try to understand why children steal money from their parents, how to react to such behavior and how to prevent the incident in the future.

Why does a child steal money

First you need to try to understand why a child steals money? What prompted him to such an act? The overall emotional picture of what is happening may depend on this. Indeed, it is one thing when a son takes money for the treatment of a stray dog, and another when he missed his father’s salary with friends. To find out the true cause of the incident, you do not need to raise your voice for the child, shout and read notations to him. Try to build trust first and find a contact. Often thefts occur in adolescence, children at this time quite aggressive and closed. But try to find the thread for which you can pull. Leave a frank conversation with the child and ask why he did this. Usually, children steal money from their parents for the following reasons.

1. It happens that a child takes money, simply considering that they are common, because the family and the budget are common. But this usually happens in younger children - up to 7 years, they still can not distinguish between "one-and-another".
2. Most often, a child steals money because he wants to buy gum, candy and other rubbish, but he has no money. After all, around everything is replete with temptations, friends buy what they want. Admit it honestly, do you give your child pocket money, and with this the opportunity to manage your money? Of course, the lack of pocket money does not justify theft, but if you always refuse a child in trifles like chewing gum, saying that it is harmful, you just do not leave him any other way out.
3. Sometimes the desire to assert themselves in the company of more adult and arrogant peers pushes for theft. This is especially pronounced in the event that the child is not understood at home, dad shrugs off hanging out, and mom considers hobbies to be nonsense. With the help of parental money, a child wants to show himself in a new company, gains the trust of her “leaders” by buying various sweets, etc.
4. It so happens that theft is a simple attraction of the attention of parents to their person. Admit it frankly - when did you devote all your free time to a child? All day you spend time away from each other,and in the evenings you persuade the child to keep up with you, because you need to prepare dinner, tidy up and throw things in the laundry. “And in general, go do your homework,” you say. Dad is also busy - he is watching an important review of political news. The child understands that in order for him to pay attention, something special must happen to him, it’s not for nothing that his parents rushed to him like mad when he had a sore throat with a high fever. And then the child decides to attract the attention of parents precisely by stealing money. And let this attention be manifested by shout, anger and punishment, but this is already an achievement - after all, he achieved this attention. If the reason is precisely this - this is a reproach not to the child, but to you. Indeed, in essence, theft in this case is a dumb cry for help.
5. Some children steal on a dispute or on "weak." They are trying to establish themselves among friends by overcoming fear and obtaining the desired profit. In this case, it can be said that the child has a real inferiority complex, and he cannot put himself in society correctly, cannot achieve respect in other ways.
6. Children can steal if they see an example. If you take a wallet you find and put in your pocket,pick up the pens from various cash registers and assign the neighbor’s spade without demand, the child understands that there is nothing dangerous or bad about it.
7. It so happens that parents angrily speak of a rich neighbor, saying that he stole money. The child sees the “beautiful” life of the more fortunate neighbor and begins to understand that taking without demand is good, so living better.
8. Sometimes quiet, and even reticent children begin to steal. If you are confident in the moral qualities of your child, perhaps older adolescents are driving him to do it. Often, weak-spirited children are forced to steal money on pain of beating him or his younger brothers and sisters. It is very important to enter into a frank conversation with the child.

This is not a complete list of reasons that may push the child to theft. Talk heart to heart with your son or daughter, and you will understand why the child stole money.

How to respond to child theft

So, the fact of theft was recorded. Do not blame the child in any way if you are not sure that it was him. In life, anything happens, a dishonest neighbor could be stealing money, inspecting public utilities, and they could have been pulled out of transport in general! Even after apologizing for the unfair accusation, the sediment will remain.Therefore, the conversation with the child should be only after complete confidence that he has done it.

The first thing you need to cope with aggression and try not to scream at the child. Especially in a public place. Do not expose the child to strangers - it can cause injury to him, guilt and shame will remain with him for life. Even the whole family does not blame the child. It is necessary that parents (without brothers and sisters) talk to the child about cleanliness. It is imperative to find out why he committed such an act. If this money was extorted by older children, be sure to contact the law enforcement agencies, do not leave the child alone - he should know that there will be a reaction to any rightless action. The child should know that you can always protect him.

If he took the money of his own free will, ask him why he did it. It is necessary to explain to the child about their desires and priorities. Be sure to start giving the child money - for small out-of-pocket expenses. After all, he becomes an adult and also participates in trade and market relations. But not immediately, but after a while, so that the child does not think that this is a promotion for theft.The presence of pocket money perfectly brings up a child of any age. You can explain to him that managing money is very interesting. You can spend all the money in one day by buying chocolates and sweets, or you can collect it and buy a bicycle or a tablet for savings. Financial education is a very important factor in the development of a child.

In conversations with a child, conversations on the topic “What is good and what is bad” should often be present. Instill moral values ​​in your son and daughters, say that you cannot take someone else’s. Say that rich people are great, they have achieved everything with their skills and knowledge, even if this is not always true. In the future, the child will strive for knowledge, to obtain quality skills of the chosen profession, in order to achieve real heights. In no case do not frighten the child with a prison term or a dubious future. Also, do not compare it with a brother or sister. In addition, you sow enmity in relationships, so you grow an inferiority complex in a child. Tell your child that you love him and worry about him, that stealing is not good, ugly and embarrassing.Say that you want to cope with the problem together, that always support him on the path of correction. In general, the child should hear understanding, not hysteria and aggression.

How to prevent a repeat of theft

First, the situation needs to be closed on the same day that you disassembled it. You should not be reminded of the theft every day, and even more so, shame in front of your grandmother or blame at every penny lost. A feeling of guilt may arise in a child, which will then be difficult to get rid of.

To prevent the incident from happening again in the future, try to develop respect for the child. You earn money and distribute it yourself. A son or daughter should respect this and not touch the money without your knowledge. At the same time, you need to learn to show respect for the child - his desires and needs. If he asks to buy him new headphones, do not rush to buy them, but do not refuse him unconditionally. Say that every week you give him a certain amount, if he does not spend them, he will be able to buy himself a headset in a month. Or say that as long as you do not have the opportunity to buy what you want, but after 5 days you will receive a salary and by all means buy them. It is important to seek compromises, the blank wall of misunderstanding always pushes for theft.

At the same time it is very important to teach a child to treat money, clothes, toys correctly. From an early age, mothers reassure young children who are soiled in puddles - nothing terrible, they say, wash or buy a new T-shirt. The child is growing up and without fear goes to play football in a new white shirt - mother will buy a new one, if that. In this case, the child thinks that finance is an endless resource and can be taken from my mom's wallet as much as you like.

If a child steals parental money - do not rush to lash out at the child with the charges,screams, corporal punishment and bans. The future of your child depends on which words you choose. After all, this is your baby, you yourself must know the key that opens his heart. Try to understand the reason for the theft and eliminate it. And then the stolen money will become just a memory, which you will not tell anyone else.

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