Where did you get that?! When Children Steal...

When my brother was four he stole a toy dinosaur from Target. We were in the car, halfway home, when my mother looked in the rear view mirror and saw the incriminating evidence. "Junior, where did your brother get that toy?" my mother asked as I was forced to tear myself away from a game I conconcted for my self on car rides. "I don't know," I replied honestly. After about thirty seconds my mother realized where he had gotten it from and we were turning around to go to Target.

Of course my brother had no idea that he stole the dinosaur nor did he realize the consequences of stealing, something my mother explained in great detail on the car ride home. My brother saw something he wanted and he went for it, a natural human reaction. So how do we teach our kids that what may seem alright is wrong? Here are a few tips.

1. Teach

It's obvious, but overlooked. You must actually teach your child that taking what is not yours is wrong. Otherwise they do not know.

2. Separate.

Nothing is more frustrating than having your siblings touch your stuff. Kids need to learn to share, but it's a two way street. If you make everything in your house communal, how does the child know what is theirs and what must be asked for? By establishing ownership you establish that a) not everything belongs to the child and b) you must ask to use something that is not yours.

3) Bad is Bad, Good is Good.

If the child does something wrong correct the behavior: reprimand the child and return the stolen property. Conversely, if the child displays honesty, reward them for it.

Many times a child does something without knowing exactly why. Stealing is one of those things that can be done on impulse and without much guilt. It is important to establish not only that it's wrong, but also why it's wrong.