If your 8 year old son just got caught stealing from the book fair at school? Any words of wisdom?
2007-06-05 06:20:50 · 9 answers · asked by Lorena T 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
I am the Book Fair Chairman at my son's school. Inevitably a child steals a book from the fair every year. What I usually do is explain to the child that stealing is not a wise choice and sometimes people are arrested for making unwise choices. I ask how would they feel if someone took something that belonged to them. I tell them that I want to be able to trust them but when they make unwise choices, it is hard (almost impossible) for me to trust them. Then I explain that I will have to watch them or not let them do what other children are allowed to do if they don't make wise choices.
I ask, "If you could do it all over again, would you make a wise choice?" 99.9% of the time that is enough to detur them from stealing again. I have never had the same child steal twice from me.
When I talked with Scholastic this is what they said. We know it is wrong but in our eyes a child has a book. SOOOO...there you have it.
2007-06-05 06:31:16 · answer #1 · answered by Cristi Brewer-Allen 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Find out why...
Make sure you understand the motives, and there has got to be a motive.
When I was 10 I was caught stealing candy from the drug store. My motivation was that I was hungry. What never did come out, was that I was hungry because I would not ask my parents for lunch money because they were constantly fighting about money and I thought I would be the straw that would break the camel's back.
At 8 your son know's it is wrong to steal, but he did so anyhow. The reaction must fit the motivation. He was dared to do it? He wanted the book but you said no? He wanted the book but wouldn't ask for the money? He may just be looking for attention....
Find out why.
2007-06-05 13:31:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask him why and did someone else have something to do with it. Then make him take it back and say sorry in front of everyone at the book fair. Then ground him from everything he enjoys for 2 weeks(school is letting out also he would hate that) If you can't figure out what you would do I always think what would Sheriff Taylor do( Andy Griffith,I know silly but it works)
2007-06-05 14:49:25 · answer #3 · answered by stacy j 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should ask him: "Why did you steal the book? You could've asked me for some money to buy a book." Say it firmly but soft enough to keep him from going into a fear induced silence or "I don't know." Trust me, the I don't know defense is common in children who are scared. And as a child you don't want to be grounded (especially young- 8 years old) so advise him if he does steal anything in the future, the consequences will be severe and YOU will mean it.
2007-06-05 13:27:53 · answer #4 · answered by raxarsniper 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Make him apologize to the organizer of the book fair - either in person or in a letter that he writes himself, and then ground him for at least a couple of weeks.
2007-06-05 13:28:07 · answer #5 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make him take the book back pay for it with his own money (even if he has to earn it) and apologize to the librarian. I would probably give him some other form of punishment like having the psp taken away as well.
2007-06-05 15:54:47 · answer #6 · answered by mm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would have him apologize to the person running the book fair, and also have him work off his debt for what the book cost by doing chores and such.
2007-06-05 18:11:43 · answer #7 · answered by caitlinerika 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ground him from life
2007-06-05 13:23:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are Muslim, lop off his hands!
2007-06-05 13:29:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋