Tips to prevent a child from stealing

It is not easy to believe at first that a child is stealing, nor is it easy to understand. But some children find it too easy to pick up small objects and store them without anyone being able to see them. But the parents, before being alarmed and pointing out the son as a thief, it is better to understand what is the cause of what he is doing and thus be able to find a solution to the problem. So, what is the best thing that can be done to prevent a child from stealing?

6 tips to prevent the child from stealing

1. Understand why he steals. 'Stealing' may not mean anything to a small child. For a 4-year-old child to keep a friend's car in a pocket because he likes it does not mean he is a criminal. For a small child, possession means property, for them they are entitled to anything, that is why the four-year-olds can have difficulties to differentiate between 'mine' and 'yours'. For little children, nothing bad has been done until parents say otherwise, it's hard for them to control their impulses. It is after 5 years when they can begin to understand what it means to steal because they understand the property better and what is right than what is not.

2. Teach the concept of property. It is very important that parents teach the concept of property from an early age to their children. This way they will be able to understand that not everything is theirs and that the belongings of other people must be respected.

3. Parenting with attachment. The upbringing of attachment will make children more empathetic and better able to understand and respect the rights of others. Children raised in attachment will feel more remorse when they have done something wrong because their conscience will allow it. Children who benefit from this upbringing first understand the effects of their actions on others and want to maintain trust between people.

4. Read non-verbal cues. Parents who have a good emotional connection with their children can read the nonverbal cues (facial and body language) that reveal the child's misbehavior. Thanks to this good connection, the child will be more likely to accept the advice and values of the parents because they trust them fully.

5. Correct the behavior. If the child steals something however small, it is necessary to correct the behavior and that the child returns the goods to the affected person. Encouraging and helping the child to return the stolen goods teaches them that stealing is bad and that mistakes also teach to go the right way.

6. Risk factors. If a child, despite receiving good standards and education continues to steal, you must get to the bottom of the matter to know why it does. There are some risk factors such as: low self-esteem, impulsiveness, insensitive to others, little empathy, no emotional connection with their parents, is angry, is living complicated situations at home such as divorce of parents, spending too much time alone ... Whatever Whatever the reason, you should look for a solution to the problem.