If your child is stealing, you should stop it - but only if you are absolutely sure of the facts. Nothing hurts worse than unfair accusation. If you are not sure - keep silent, check again. Start the conversation only when there is no doubt and the evidence - are obvious.
If the theft - the first, if not the theft has become a tradition, do not call him a thief and not rush him to predict the near future criminal. Theft of a teenager - the situation is very difficult because the causes can be many, and the parents can not do everything. We list the main reasons.
Impulsiveness. The child no older than six or seven years of this behavior is understandable - not yet formed a voluntary behavior, and here at real teen impulsivity observed much less frequently, and more often in the background of intellectual and mental delay development. If, indeed, the teenager does not know how to control themselves - unfortunately, this is a psychiatrist.
Kleptomania. This same impulsiveness, but single-minded focus, only in relation to steal. Kleptomania is classified as a mental illness, while in fact the true kleptomania is very small. American experts say that in adults patients with kleptomania about 5 percent, and that half of them pretends to this deviation. Among their children even less.
Assertiveness. It happens that a teenager wants to prove to himself and to everyone, especially peers, he strong personality and he do not care at all, "Look, what I'm brave, clever, wanted to spit on the ban." For a good psychologist, this situation is simple for ordinary parents - hard. If you do not know what to do here - looking for a good psychologist.
Attention parents. If a family is not up to it -. Parents are close to divorce, always busy at work and so on, the child will try to attract attention. Usually in such cases, the loss of money or things quickly detected. Often, this is followed by a loud proceedings scandal. That is the goal of "thieves" is reached - received a considerable portion of parental attention. Even this response satisfied the child more than the lack of heat or complete detachment.
Location peers. He hopes to win money or attention of other children (if you do not notice it), or to pay off, if it is pushed around in the children's collective.
Revenge or protest. If you are a teenager got his control and injustice, he may protest and avenge you and in this way. What to do? Sit down and talk for a long time. Develop a family code that will be fair, and to keep it all.
Gaps in education. This includes a lot: the indifference and lack of respect for parents, the lack of respect for other people and adults in particular. here the same - lack of parental authority. Child stealing because he needed the money, and to rest and to rest he does not care. People he does not respect, the parents do not like. This, unfortunately, it happens. In this case it is senseless to solve a specific problem of theft, because the problem - more than the total. While hide money, not to steal more, and think.
