Your child does homework on time, helps you clear the table
after dinner, and even helps with housework on the weekends. So
can it be true that this same child is stealing? Before you
react, it helps to know a little about why kids steal and where
to get help. Why Kids and Teens Steal Kids of all ages — from
preschoolers to teens — can be tempted to steal for different
reasons: Very young children sometimes take things they want
without understanding that things cost money and that it's wrong
to take something without paying for it. School-age kids usually
know they're not supposed to take something without paying, but
they might do so anyway because they lack enough self-control.
Preteens and teens know they're not supposed to steal, but might
steal for the thrill of it or because their friends do. Some
might believe they can get away with it. As they're given more
control over their lives, some teens steal as a way of
rebelling. And other complex reasons can be factors. Kids might
be angry or want attention