Curb theft in your child
Mar 13, 2009
PICTURE this: Becky comes home from school and while she excitedly jots down the new words she learnt at school, you notice she is using a different pencil from the one you bought for her. You search her bag and find books, dolls, etc that are not hers. W
BY MAUREEN NAKATUDDE
PICTURE this: Becky comes home from school and while she excitedly jots down the new words she learnt at school, you notice she is using a different pencil from the one you bought for her. You search her bag and find books, dolls, etc that are not hers. What is a mother to do?
Winnie Kalyesubula, a counselling psychologist at Mildmay says you should tell your child to return those things to their owners. Otherwise, you are condoning the habit and the child may grow up not knowing that stealing is bad. She adds: “Tell them to get something that is not theirs would be stealing.’’
WHY STEAL
Ruth Senyonyi, a counsellor with Bank of Uganda, says some children steal because of peer pressure. Some might be with rich friends and because they want to measure up, some may resort to stealing. It is best you advise such children that their worth is not in what they have, but in who they are.
Are you are parent who gives a dozen pens and expects your child to use them until the end of term without asking you for more? Senyonyi says with such over strictness, your child may resort to theft when their pens are over. In case a child loses something say a sweater or pen, his or her natural instinct will be to steal. They will be afraid to tell you because you will cane them without seeking any explanation.
A child sometimes steals out of need. Take an example where a child did not have sufficient supper and had no breakfast. His alternative would be to steal food.
Apart from that, if you are a parent and you have a habit of stealing, there is no doubt that your children too will end up like you.
In case you do it indirectly like coming back with your company’s property due to forgetting you better take them back since this will give a bad example to the children.
HOW DO YOU DISCIPLINE
YOUR CHILD?
Stealing in children could be an indicator of a deep-seated psychological problem, which parents or guardians can find out by visiting a counsellor or psychologist. If this is not the case,
l Begin by checking your child’s bag and if you find anything that is not theirs, tell them to return it.
l Though some parents are sceptical about caning, Senyonyi says it can stop a child from stealing, if you explain to them why they are being caned. She adds: ‘It is not a matter of pouncing on the child and just beating him.
Calmly tell the child what has happened and why you are caning them. The child will learn that stealing is bad.â€
Kalyesubula advises you to try other methods depending on the child’s age. For instance, if the child is below seven years, a threat like taking them to the Police will do. If you have a vehicle, move in the direction of the Police station, tell him stories about people in prison. This can help the child to stop stealing since he or she is still young.
An old adage goes: words are prophecies. In case your child has stolen something once and has stopped, do not dub him a thief. Those words will echo in his mind and turn him into the person you did not want him to be.
Address your child by their name and attribute to them something good they can live up to.
Masitula Namugenyi a counsellor in Kampala, advises that when you have disciplined the child, but it seems like there is no change, she says you to pray to God to help you.
PICTURE this: Becky comes home from school and while she excitedly jots down the new words she learnt at school, you notice she is using a different pencil from the one you bought for her. You search her bag and find books, dolls, etc that are not hers. What is a mother to do?
Winnie Kalyesubula, a counselling psychologist at Mildmay says you should tell your child to return those things to their owners. Otherwise, you are condoning the habit and the child may grow up not knowing that stealing is bad. She adds: “Tell them to get something that is not theirs would be stealing.’’
WHY STEAL
Ruth Senyonyi, a counsellor with Bank of Uganda, says some children steal because of peer pressure. Some might be with rich friends and because they want to measure up, some may resort to stealing. It is best you advise such children that their worth is not in what they have, but in who they are.
Are you are parent who gives a dozen pens and expects your child to use them until the end of term without asking you for more? Senyonyi says with such over strictness, your child may resort to theft when their pens are over. In case a child loses something say a sweater or pen, his or her natural instinct will be to steal. They will be afraid to tell you because you will cane them without seeking any explanation.
A child sometimes steals out of need. Take an example where a child did not have sufficient supper and had no breakfast. His alternative would be to steal food.
Apart from that, if you are a parent and you have a habit of stealing, there is no doubt that your children too will end up like you.
In case you do it indirectly like coming back with your company’s property due to forgetting you better take them back since this will give a bad example to the children.
HOW DO YOU DISCIPLINE
YOUR CHILD?
Stealing in children could be an indicator of a deep-seated psychological problem, which parents or guardians can find out by visiting a counsellor or psychologist. If this is not the case,
l Begin by checking your child’s bag and if you find anything that is not theirs, tell them to return it.
l Though some parents are sceptical about caning, Senyonyi says it can stop a child from stealing, if you explain to them why they are being caned. She adds: ‘It is not a matter of pouncing on the child and just beating him.
Calmly tell the child what has happened and why you are caning them. The child will learn that stealing is bad.â€
Kalyesubula advises you to try other methods depending on the child’s age. For instance, if the child is below seven years, a threat like taking them to the Police will do. If you have a vehicle, move in the direction of the Police station, tell him stories about people in prison. This can help the child to stop stealing since he or she is still young.
An old adage goes: words are prophecies. In case your child has stolen something once and has stopped, do not dub him a thief. Those words will echo in his mind and turn him into the person you did not want him to be.
Address your child by their name and attribute to them something good they can live up to.
Masitula Namugenyi a counsellor in Kampala, advises that when you have disciplined the child, but it seems like there is no change, she says you to pray to God to help you.