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Original poster

Someone in house has been taking Christmas chocolate stash

107 replies

DrChasuble · 23/10/2022 17:32

Bought 4 of the large celebration type tubs of chocolates a few weeks back when on offer for Halloween and Christmas. Hid them away but pretty sure all of my 3 children knew they were there. Have just got them out and found all 4 tubs have been opened and roughly half the contents of each have gone. I'm pretty sure the culprit will be oldest child - son age 14 - he has a previous track record of taking things in the house that don't belong to him - food and money, but he will also swear blind it is not him. Any advice.please on how you would handle. Feeling really upset.

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rainbowandglitter · 23/10/2022 20:15

Muststopeating · 23/10/2022 19:45

This thread is mental. I'd be pissed off if my 3 year old and 5 year old did this. They wouldn't. All sweets, chocolate, biscuits and crisps in my house live where they can reach them and they wouldn't dream of helping themselves. In fact they know better than to ask very often.

I am not a particularly strict parent and my kids are no angels but I have worked hard on boundaries.

Hiding them better does feck all to teach your children self restraint (an important life skill) or respect for things that don't belong to them!

And I agree OP... its just sneaky that they opened all of them. Presumably they were trying to reduce the chances of you noticing? I don't have a good answer for getting him to fess up.

I can tell you that I vividly remember getting caught pinching a chocolate bar when I was a kid. My mum found the wrapper that I'd attempted to flush down the toilet. She asked me if I had taken chocolate. I lied. She presented the evidence. I got grounded. Not for the chocolate but for lying about it.

On the few occasions in my childhood that I lied it was always made clear that the punishment was more severe because I'd lied. To this day I NEVER lie. Can't do it to save myself.

Yes to this! Nobody in my family would dream of doing anything like this. I can't believe there are people saying it's okShock

Purplepurse · 23/10/2022 20:27

So it is OK if he takes the entire shepherd's pie that was meant for dinner, after all that is" communal" food too.
Or is it only chocolates that can be stolen and eaten without any sort of penalty.

quietnightmare · 23/10/2022 21:04

@PinkSyCo
Oh give over, don't make this bigger than it is. They probably all done it that's why they all need to be asked. P.s swearing is embarrassing

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PinkSyCo · 23/10/2022 21:19

quietnightmare · 23/10/2022 21:04

@PinkSyCo
Oh give over, don't make this bigger than it is. They probably all done it that's why they all need to be asked. P.s swearing is embarrassing

So theft is ok but saying ‘ffs’ is wrong in your view? 😂

quietnightmare · 23/10/2022 21:29

@PinkSyCo
Put things into perspective

ShowOfHands · 23/10/2022 21:30

I buy chocolate now and put it away, as well as drinks, biscuits, crackers. I get things on offer and add a couple of things to each shop from now on. Otherwise, I couldn't afford Christmas.

I'd be gutted if anybody in the family helped themselves as I'd struggle to replace it and it would be inherently selfish to take something intended for a later purpose.

No people don't sneak food in this house. I'm really surprised that a child taking money, food and many treats meant for everybody is accepted as the norm.

caringcarer · 23/10/2022 21:33

In my book theft is permanently taking something that does not belong to you, so it is taken but not replaced. However you can't blame one child without proof it was them. You need to keep them somewhere locked so can't be stolen.

autienotnaughty · 23/10/2022 21:37

Better hiding place and don't buy more!!

AutumnCrow · 23/10/2022 21:59

Krustykrabpizza · 23/10/2022 19:57

I find it hard to have any sympathy for people who buy Xmas chocolate in October

Yes that's the important thing isn't it

cushioncovers · 23/10/2022 22:06

I'd be really upset as well op. It's not ok for a child to take chocolates or anything that's been put away for an occasion.

HollyPupp · 23/10/2022 22:13

Can’t believe people are saying a child taking a few bloody chocolates is theft 🤣

Cheeeeislifenow · 23/10/2022 22:17

Can’t believe people are saying a child taking a few bloody chocolates is theft

it's not a few chocolates it's two whole tubs altogether and money previously

PinkSyCo · 23/10/2022 22:18

WindowsSmindows · 23/10/2022 17:49

It's normal and natural for children to sneak chocolates from their parents hiding places. If you punish them it will be because you can't cope with them, it's not them that's done wrong.

Christ almighty how did I miss this gem?!! Is this really how people parent now?…...”Hey kids I’d kind of rather you didn’t, but if you want to help yourself to whatever is in the house, be it chocs earmarked for Christmas or money from my purse, I will understand that you are no way to blame and, to prove that I can cope with you, there will absolutely be no consequences for your actions. I will simply work overtime to earn extra money to replace the things that you stole absolutely had to have, and hire a lockup garage to store things that I’d rather you didn’t have yet/ever so that temptation is never put in your way again.”

Smartiepants79 · 23/10/2022 22:21

I would expect any NT child over the age of about 10 to understand that you don’t take/steal stuff that is quite clearly not yours.
I cannot believe how many people think it’s just normal to do this!! And for there to be no punishment. What if it was money or valuables.
I don’t think the fact that it’s ‘just’ chocolate is relevant. It’s still cost money and was not out for general consumption. It’s sneaky and sly and I’d be pretty pissed off and getting it replaced with their own money if at all possible.

Jaffacats · 23/10/2022 22:24

Buy some special colourful tape or gaffer tape and seal them up. Then hide well. Hide tape as well. It’s a game trying to hide chocs from walking stomachs! 🙄😉

Smartiepants79 · 23/10/2022 22:24

HollyPupp · 23/10/2022 22:13

Can’t believe people are saying a child taking a few bloody chocolates is theft 🤣

It’s not just a couple of chocs out of a box in the kitchen.
Its the best part of 2 tubs worth that had been put away . The tubs did not belong to the child and they didn’t ask, it is therefore technically theft!

Merryclaire · 24/10/2022 04:45

My siblings and I used to do this kind of thing. We turned out ok and didn’t progress onto bigger crimes!

Treats we’re so eked out that if we saw the opportunity to nick a few chocolates then we took it, and tried to cover it up.

We either covered it up well or our parents cut us some slack as we rarely got in trouble for it, though they were generally quite strict.

I would tell them off but don’t go overboard - it’s not a big deal IMO.

PinkSyCo · 24/10/2022 07:17

Merryclaire · 24/10/2022 04:45

My siblings and I used to do this kind of thing. We turned out ok and didn’t progress onto bigger crimes!

Treats we’re so eked out that if we saw the opportunity to nick a few chocolates then we took it, and tried to cover it up.

We either covered it up well or our parents cut us some slack as we rarely got in trouble for it, though they were generally quite strict.

I would tell them off but don’t go overboard - it’s not a big deal IMO.

So your ‘strict’ parents would turn a blind eye if one of you opened 4 tins of chocolate earmarked for Christmas for ALL of you kids? Not very fair on the rest of the kids in the family is it? And what about money? I’m guessing that was eked out too. So that was fair game to help yourself to as well was it?

AnnapurnaSanctuary · 24/10/2022 07:25

OP, when you say "it's not just sneaking a few chocolates which would be normal" remember this probably happened over the course of several occasions. So he just sneaked a few each time, but it adds up to a lot. Personally I'd just not buy the Christmas chocs in October! Too much temptation.

BonesOfWhatYouBelieve · 24/10/2022 07:28

This thread is mental. I'd be pissed off if my 3 year old and 5 year old did this. They wouldn't. All sweets, chocolate, biscuits and crisps in my house live where they can reach them and they wouldn't dream of helping themselves. In fact they know better than to ask very often.

I am not a particularly strict parent and my kids are no angels but I have worked hard on boundaries.

Agreed! My 3 year old knows where the biscuits are and doesn't ever help herself to them. I'm surprised so many people think the problem is that OP didn't hide it better from a 14 year old! He should be able to understand "this is for everyone, and it's for Christmas not for now" and not scoff it all himself.
Obviously the fact it's communal food does make a difference (it would be worse if he'd taken a sibling's birthday chocolate for example) but just because it's communal doesn't mean one person can help themselves to as much as they want with no consideration that it's for sharing.

OneFrenchEgg · 24/10/2022 07:56

I do the same as a pp and start stocking up around now. All the kids can manage not to shovel hidden food in their mouths , and <shock> even dh and I have self control.
We have loads of junk stuff as well as a full fruit bowl - the teens just ask if they want anything, or help themselves to the general spare food shelves. I think having clear boundaries and understanding of what's available whenever and what's clearly not (hidden chocolates) is helpful.

Merryclaire · 24/10/2022 08:09

PinkSyCo · 24/10/2022 07:17

So your ‘strict’ parents would turn a blind eye if one of you opened 4 tins of chocolate earmarked for Christmas for ALL of you kids? Not very fair on the rest of the kids in the family is it? And what about money? I’m guessing that was eked out too. So that was fair game to help yourself to as well was it?

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They would have told us off for opening 4 tins. But it would likely have been all of us at the chocolates rather than just one! OP’s kids must have thought it was easier to disguise it by evening out all the tins.

Personally I don’t equate pinching some chocolates to stealing money though. However, when I was at primary school I stole the occasional 50p that I saw lying around the house (and used it to buy sweets). My parents never found out - they would have been very cross if they did. However I turned out to be a hardworking, law-abiding adult so I just think it’s pretty typical opportunistic child behaviour.

Sparkletastic · 24/10/2022 08:19

I'd be pissed off too although buying so much chocolate this far in advance is asking for trouble. I'd confront the likely offender, tell them they've now had their share, and put the tubs for the other kids in the boot of the car.

HollyPupp · 24/10/2022 08:50

Cheeeeislifenow · 23/10/2022 22:17

Can’t believe people are saying a child taking a few bloody chocolates is theft

it's not a few chocolates it's two whole tubs altogether and money previously

This thread isn’t about the money though. I’m guessing the OP has already dealt with that issue… this is about a tub of bloody poxy chocolates! So much drama over nothing.

Original poster
DrChasuble · 24/10/2022 09:03

Blimey! Hadn't thought this thread would get quite so polarised. Interesting, though not hugely helpful to be told to get a grip and that its my problem for buying chocolate too early, and at the other end of the scale, to have my son described as a greedy, entitled thief. But thanks to all for replying and specially those that have been more helpful.
For clarity only one tub was for us as a family at Christmas, 2 were to give as gifts to the children's clubs and one was for Halloween trick or treaters. I buy early to spread the cost of Christmas and take advantage of offers. They were not all for us, not communal and they were very much hidden. Our children have been taught boundaries and right from wrong and they didn't do this when they were 5. It will have been done knowing it was the wrong thing to do. Personally I am finding parenting teenagers signficantly harder than parenting at any other stage.

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