Someone in house has been taking Christmas chocolate stash

[DrChasuble]

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.

You just need to hide them better.

I can't say I blame him. I probably would have felt tempted too.

All Santa's presents were hid at neighbours. I used to Pop across the road to wrap with her.

FF to grandchildren, presents are hidden at different grannies 😂😂

I was going to pop in with some funny comment about it being me. But I understand you’re upset OP and that sucks.

Can I offer you another perspective? I used to do this as a kid. I would specifically steal chocolate and then deny it (it was literally just me and my mum so lol). For me it was a combination of never being allowed chocolates and or sweets, along with very little impulse control (which can be down to a variety of reasons). And the reason I would lie is because from an early age I would get blamed for things I didn’t do anyway so I just started to lie about everything.

I don’t know if any of that is remotely helpful, but I’m pretty sure he’s not purposefully trying to upset you. And sometimes with things like that you think you’re only taking a few but obviously they add up before you realise you’ve made a huge dent.

Are you able to talk to everyone as a group about why it’s important and upsetting to you without looking to lay blame? If you know for sure who it is then you could talk to them personally about this and try not getting upset if denied, but stay strong in stating your boundaries.

I think one leads to two, two the next day and before you know it...

but definitely weight the contents before accusing him them of eating half the tin! I live alone, opening them, they look like someone's eaten half the tin already!

my friend had this last year, except her teenager had put back sweet tins/Pringle tubes back completely empty and it was a couple of large boxes of treats for them & guests over Christmas & she didn't know until Christmas Eve!!

We all just took stuff & there was plenty, but she was pissed off, although all that happened was that she was cross, no consequences for her DS! I'd have made him take his pocket money & walk to local Tesco to replace (some of) them.

I must admit I would have been tempted to call a family meeting, notepad and pen and look really sternly and say you are investigating a serious theft and go through the "clues" you have before letting them know a few mins later whilst you are cross its all lighthearted but everyone will be needing to help spring clean the house !

So your parents would have been cross, unlike half the posters shrugging it off and even laughing about it. 👍

Gosh I remember eating a pack of fruit pastilles that were left in the car when I was about 8. I got a stern telling off.

Those were gifts for someone else 2 of which now have to be replaced. It's not ok.