Stolen money.

[Hugosclock]

We had a group of friends over on Saturday with their kids ranging from 4 to 10 years old. My daughter had £10 lying on her bedside table and I noticed today it’s gone.
Should I ask the parents to ask their kids about it? Or just put it down to experience not to leave things lying around. I’m not judging the kids, they’re all nice. But they’re young and it was obviously too tempting for someone!
There’s a WhatsApp group so I could ask collectively, not pointing to any individuals, but then also people may not want to expose their kid publicly 😆
I’m guessing it was the youngest as they were in her room a while on their own, playing with her toys. And also youngest less likely to have learned not to just take things,no? But no idea really.
So, WWYD?

Leave it. Accusing now will not end well. Make a note next time to put valuables away and not leave the children to play in rooms unsupervised.

Little ones wouldn't care about money, though, would they? I would've thought it was much more likely to be an older child.

I would just say you'd noticed it was missing and could they ask the children if they'd seen it.

On more reflection, I’m with you LIZS. I think saying anything would bring a shadow over an otherwise lovely day. We’ll just be more aware in future.

Have you actually asked your daughter if she has moved it? You just say you noticed it has gone, nothing about her saying it is missing?

Maybe wait to see if it turns up. My partner was once adamant that my brother had stolen money from our house and i knew my brother would never do this..but at the time it seemed like the only explantion. Anyway, it did turn up. In the place I had put it in a drunken state. Oops.

Leave it; I think it’ll just leave a bad taste after what was hopefully a nice afternoon. If one of the parents had found £10 on their child you’d expect them to have investigated where it came from and returned it.
Are you sure it didn’t just get lost or involved in a game and left among it?