Wednesday, September 11, 2019

She stole an iPhone

I've spent the last hour in shock. I went to put a coat away in my daughter's locker at home and found an iPhone. An iPhone she intentionally hid in another inside coat pocket so she didn't get caught.  An iPhone she stole from our friend's daughter.

My daughter stole an iPhone. I thought saying it would help. But it doesn't.  This isn't the first thing she's stolen, that was gum from the store and I made her return it.  I thought that would help.

Then she "found" things on the floor she'd bring home.   Then she stole from a classmate.  She missed field day for that and had to buy a pack of gum replacement.

This summer she stole MY extra phone. And money off the counter.  She just takes things. Small things, big things, whatever she wants. Whatever she feels like.

I've spent the last 30 minutes looking up how to discipline a child who doesn't seem to mind consequences. She minds them enough to hit me and bite me and throw a fit for 4 hours, but not enough to not do the same thing over.  She minds missing her Friday night movie but not enough to make better choices.

How... How do I get her to care? To consider anyone else? What if this had been expensive and she broke it? I don't have that type of money, and she doesn't.  She's 9. I know how much these cost.

I'm devastated and grateful I discovered this before she got home from school so I could attempt to process my emotions.

How do you handle a child who doesn't care?

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