What kind of Punishment is effective for 6 yo who has done shoplifting?

Answer 1

amazing.

i remember as a young child i did same thing. *i think i was 4 or 5.

when i returned home from grocery mother opened bag to find my stolen item.

she asked me how i received this item and i told her i took it.

she gently lectured me on what is theft and asked me to return the item to the grocery with the message to apologize to the store manager for taking it.

i.....as a young child remember this very well. it was my first lesson in relationship/property.

i was embarrassed before my mother and i remember feeling embarrassment taking the item.

but...since i did not hide the item from my mother suggests my properties/relationship cognitive faculties had not been sufficiently developed to realize the error of my ways...at least in my mothers eyes.

she thanked me for returning the item and speaking with the manager about my doing. the manager also thanked me and i was gratefull there was nothing said ever again to me about this.

i was not grounded as a 6 year old. my own parents were not grounders. my mother was a communicator....like yours truly.

though i often wonder........did the secret police (politically correct of secret society) get pissed off and write my name down to be eternally punished for the transgression..?

is this why i was not ever permitted to ever have opportunities in my home town like others...?

or was it something else...?

or was it a combination of factors..?

these are questions which concern me today knowing that there are types of people who like to punish in places that conceal themselves.

never punish a 6 year old. communication is the way.


more later.......

be well

Answer 2

I've worked in retail loss prevention for 7 years and have seen this happen a bunch of times. What we do is when a parent brings in a young child we try to talk to him. We bring him into our security office, show him where "bad" people get to sit and how we call the police when people get caught doing that. I then will show them our camera system, which would be pretty impressive to a kid. I explain how we see everything that happens in the store and if you do it again we will catch you. They usually bring the item back with them also and say they were sorry. I've had situations where a child, a little older than 6, probably around 10, they bring the child in and want us to call the police. Per company policy I couldn't do that, but it is surprising how many parents are hardcore like that. I would say take them back into the store and speak with the manager and if it's a large enough store/company ask to speak with the Loss Prevention manager.

Answer 3

This is not an opportunity for punishment, but for building a relationship with your child. First ask the child if they realize it is wrong to take what is not yours, then ask them what they think should happen. Kids have a wealth of wisdom.

The item should be returned by the child with the parent in the background.(you are not there to humiliate, but to offer support while your child takes responsibility for his/her actions). Hopefully you are setting a precedent for the future. Mistakes are part of childhood, learning how to correct them is a parents' job.
If it is too late to return it (has been opened, eaten or otherwise ruined the child should pay for it out of his or her own money, or earn the money by working at tasks that are not ordinarily his/her responsibility. Even a small child can clean out the car, pull weeds, or dust and vacuum.
When the item has been paid for, the child should be told you wish they hadn't done it, but you are glad to see they took responsibility for the mistake, and hope they have learned why it was a bad act. Then do not bring it up again. It is over.
(Trust me, when this child is older and the mistakes can be much more damaging, you want to have a relationship with him/her that will allow the child to come to you for help.)

Answer 4

I would have the child return the item to the store in question. Remember there might be serious consequences- the store I work at prosecutes all! Returning it should resolve the issue in terms of where the store stands. Then I would have the child work and/or community service to raise enough equal to the item. This will give the child an idea of what was stolen in monetary terms. You will then be able to show them what it was worth and it gives them the responsible alternative to stealing.

Answer 5

I think that every kid tries this once. I was about 8 when I did it for the first and only time. My father made me return the item to the store, I had to give it directly to the store detective. My dad had talked to him before hand and had told him to scare the crap out of me, and he did. I was grounded for 2 weeks and I had to write 1000 sentences that I will not steal.

Trust it worked. I never shoplifted again.

Answer 6

make him take whatever it is he took back to store have him apologies to the manager, and see what that does, it worked for my son he is 15 now and this happened when he was about 5 or 6 he has never done it again i explained to him why he should not steal and so did the store owner, also that prices go way up because of people stealing

Answer 7

I would force them to take the item back to the store, or if that's not possible, force them to go to the store and pay for what they took. They should have to apologize to the store employees (or manager if it's a big store). And they should have all priveleges removed for a period of time. I'd say a week at that age would be plenty long enough. A week is long for my 7 year old.

Answer 8

I know it doesnt seem like anything big but make him take it back and apologise. When i was about his age, i stole a special flower from my next door neighbours garden. When my mum found out she told me i had to take it back and apologise. I was so scared of doing it but after that, I never stole again. Its the smaller things he does now that make the biggest difference later in life - and i don't think going without tv will change anything

Answer 9

Take them back to the store and have them talk to the manager. Then make them pay for it out of their own money. They'll learn it is wrong.

Answer 10

Take the child back to the store. Have him/her give the item back and apologize.