Is Your Teen Stealing Money From You?
Have you noticed that money is slowly disappearing from your purse or wallet? You suspect your teenage son or daughter but aren't sure. What can you do as a parent to find out? One of the first things you need to do is look at your teens' behavior and go from there. Have they been acting out in school and at home lately? Do they have a new hair due or are their clothes crazy? Coming to understand whats going on inside your teens head is the first step you need to take.
One way to tell if your teenager is stealing from you is to take note at what type of items your teen walks through the door with. If your teen doesn't have a job, where are they getting the money to buy all the stuff they have? Don't overreact and instantly accuse them if you are not entirely sure they are taking money from you. If you fear you have lost trust with your teenager you may need to take drastic measures and put a stop to the bad behavior before it spirals out of control. Your teen could be robbing from you to buy dangerous items such as drugs and alcohol.
If your teen constantly denies taking money you may want to set up a small video camera in your room and catch them in the act. This may seem like to much, but in order to stop negative behavior you must be %100 sure your teen is taking money from you. Teens often think stealing money from family members is not that big of a deal. It usually will get to the teen's head and they will think they can not only steal from you but other people and department stores.
If you catch your teen and the finally confess, be calm and reasonable. Let it be known that you will be paid back and they can earn the money by extra chores and jobs around the house. If your teen was caught stealing goods from a store, make them return it and either pay or work off the item in question. If your teen refuses to do these things you may want to think about sending them to a private boarding school to help them with behavior issues. Give our team a call today and we will be happy to discuss options that can help you and your teenager.