saw a child stealing a candy bar

I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 23:30:12 -0500, Marie
scribbled:

I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie


I would probably have said something directly to the child.... "don't
forget to put your candybar up there so daddy can pay for it,
sweetie". With a nice smile to show I was just being 'helpful'.

Nan

"Marie" wrote in message
...
I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie
I would have said to the Dad "Excuse me - did you know she also has that
candy bar?" Then it's up to him how to handle it. If he was anything like a
friend of mine and realised his kid had stolen it afterwards she would have
been marched back into the store and having to own up that she stole it and
be made to apologise. I think that's pretty effective for a young child.

Liz

In article ,
Marie wrote:

I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie

If it had been me, I would have said to the girl -- loudly enough for
her father to overhear, but also gently -- "Hey, sweetie, don't forget
to give that candy bar to your Dad so he can pay for it."
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

"Marie" wrote in message
...
I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie
Saw that once. Actually I saw the kid (similar age) first trying to remove a
packet of sweets from a multipack. She turned round, saw me, went red and
went back to the lady she was with. (who had 2 smaller kids in a trolley as
well as an older child as well). Then I saw her as the "pic'n mix" with her
fingers in one of the pots. I coughed and she again ran away. Then I saw her
doing exactly what you decribed at the till. I just stopped and watched her
until she looked up. She put the chocolate bar back.
I did wonder about speaking to the lady (I did wonder whether she was a
childminder not mum) as I'd have rather been told if it'd been me, but I'm
afraid I chickened out. I would hope that they'll probably be caught out
later as at that age it's quite difficult to eat a bar and hide the wrapper
where a parent won't see it.
Debbie

"Marie" wrote in message
...
I was at the grocery store, and a man with two young girls was in
front of me in line. The girls were about 5-6 years old. I watched one
of the girls grab a candy bar and hold it behind her back after the
man paid for the groceries and waited on them to be bagged. He never
once looked at the children so never saw her with the candy bar. What
would you have done? I did nothing at all and felt sort of guilty...if
one of *mine* stole something I hope someone would tell me!!
Marie

I would have given the girl the benefit of the doubt and acted as if she
didn't that she has to give candy bar to her parent to pay for it. Then I
would have reminded her gently, so that her father (and maybe the cashier,
too) can hear, that she needs to give the candy bar to her dad to pay for
it. Or I would have said something to the father directly, like, "Don't
forget the candy bar your beautiful daughter has."

She might have had diabetes (type I or type II) and not be allowed candy or
might not be allowed candy by her parents. In any event, I think telling the
child or the dad that she has to give the candy to the father would bring
the situtation out into the open so that dad can deal with it.

Plus, I wouldn't be too surprised if dad knew about the candy and had the
child shoplift it. I realize that is stealing and wrong; but that won't stop
all parents from having their kids steal.

Whether something is stolen by an innocent little girl who needs to be
reminded about stealing or taken on purpose, it is stealling. And it is one
of the things that helps keep grocery prices (and other prices) high.

Jeff

Jeff

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:25:08 -0500, "Jeff"
scribbled:


Plus, I wouldn't be too surprised if dad knew about the candy and had the
child shoplift it. I realize that is stealing and wrong; but that won't stop
all parents from having their kids steal.

Wow. It just wouldn't occur to me to think that parents have their
children steal. I guess I'm naive enough to think most people are
honest.

Nan

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 13:36:56 -0500, Nan wrote:
Wow. It just wouldn't occur to me to think that parents have their
children steal. I guess I'm naive enough to think most people are
honest.

I personally know two mothers who have had their children steal
things. It's why mine weren't allowed to go shopping with them.
Marie

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 13:51:23 -0500, Marie
scribbled:

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 13:36:56 -0500, Nan wrote:
Wow. It just wouldn't occur to me to think that parents have their
children steal. I guess I'm naive enough to think most people are
honest.

I personally know two mothers who have had their children steal
things. It's why mine weren't allowed to go shopping with them.
Marie

Yikes. I don't blame you!

Nan

Father has own son arrested!


when my son was about 5...now 11 an employee of mine informed me that my
son kept showing up with new toy cars. By the time that I saw them, they
were beat up so I didn't give it a thought. So when this new information
came to light I confronted my son about this! In a way it was cute but
don't hang me yet! He had been asking to go to the bathroom a little too
often.....so when he would ask again I replied "pee your pants and I will
believe you". It was after this that everything came to light. He had been
asking to go to the bathroom and then skirting out to another office and
pulling up a chair to a bookshelf and climbing up and getting the
"fruit"....I mean all of those shiny new cars! I had to admit to the owner
what had happened..I found out that these cars were collector items. Just
turn the beat up toy car over and see the manufacture dates "ouch" I paid
the bill and made friends with the guy.....he suggested that I have one of
the local policemen arrest my son and teach him a lesson! The local police
would hide out behind our shop to do their paperwork so I talked to one of
them and asked him to do the deed! Later that day he came by, now in
uniform and with a marked car. My son was "arrested" and put in the back
of the car and talked to. I have never had a problem since!!!