Child stealing

[sadmommyhere]

My son is 6 and keeps stealing from our cupboards and his siblings.
He has gone in the fridge and secretly drank cough syrup, gone in the cupboards and stolen sweets, biscuits, tic tacs. Sometimes things he knows are his siblings and sometimes straight after meals.

He understands it's wrong, and cries/screams when he has been caught.
We've tried punishing by not giving him treats, sending him to bed, stopping him go to extra curricular activities.

Then the next day he is at it again.

It isn't hunger, no way it is.

Any ideas please?

It's not really stealing to take food on your own home.

Is he allowed to make a sandwich, take fruit, yogurts, cheese etc. whenever he wants?

It's just odd that he only takes food, but that you class it as stealing.

It is his behaviour which makes it stealing.
He stuffs his face and then hides.

If he asks, like his siblings do then they get.

But it's not safe for him to be snooping in the kitchen, especially taking cough syrup. He could have overdosed.

They get snacks, healthy big meals.

It's not really stealing to take food on your own home.

Unless he bought it then of course it is

Op, Ieave healthy snacks out in the kitchen, All other treats are kept in my bedroom. Give that a go.

And put the medicines up high out of reach.

I was brought up to ask, then get. I wasn't allowed to help myself, neither was my partner. It's normal to us.

If the temptation is not in sight then he will soon grow out of the habit of just taking it.

Well, it's creating issues in your child.

And as for hiding food in a bedroom .

I can't imagine insisting that my children ask every time they want something to eat.

Out of courtesy they will ask if something is meant for packed lunches, or how close it is to lunch/dinner time.

We have cupboards full of snacks and stuff, and they are pretty much indifferent to it all.

If it was classed as stealing every time someone ate something from my cupboards without asking my whole family would be criminals

And as for hiding food in a bedroom

Where did I say I hid food? I said it was kept in the bedroom, Everyone knows where it is but they have to ask for it.

If they want to buy treats for themselves thats fair enough, If they want treats I have bought to last the month then they have to ask. If it was just left in the kitchen for them to help themselves there would never be anything left.

What Zero said - if we didn't police the snacks, everything would be gone! Especially with my son taking so much all the time.

I wouldn't let my children help themselves to whatever food they wanted whenever they wanted. It's my responsibility to ensure they eat healthily and I need to know what is in the house for shopping and budgeting. Perhaps I'd have a a box of things they are 'allowed' or thy need to ask. If they didn't stick to these rules then yes it is stealing.

Any kind of medicine should be well out of his reach..put stuff like fruit out where he can get it whenever he wants and other stuff up high. Children have to be trained. They are not born knowing. Dont call it stealing. Never shame a child. Just keep explaining until he gets the message. And tell him when he will get a treat eg after school. Maybe he is going through a vrowth spurt so make sure he has lots of healthy snacks.

Thank you June.

The medication is always right at the back of our tall fridge. He has climbed his way up from a stool to a chair and then stood on the fridge. He is tiny!
I have other medication for my illnesses so I have already repeatedly drummed it into their head that this stuff is off limits.

We have started encouraging his good behaviour and praising him more. He is a great kid, very intelligent and well natured... which makes this behaviour more noticeable and stand out as bad behaviour

Those who say a child should be allowed to help himself to anything he likes, do you think that includes things belonging to his siblings (as per the OP)?