So Hannah comes downstairs after bedtime last night crying that she is afraid she is going to get arrested and go to jail. After a little discussion, she confessed that she stole some candy from the grocery store a while back. (This seems very cliche, doesn't it?)
So we explained to her how stores work - the store has to buy the things that they sell - and talked to her about what would happen to the store if everyone stole even just one item, etc.
We told her we are proud of her for telling the truth, but stressed how wrong stealing is and so forth.
We both think that even though she has shown some accountability to us, that she also needs to show accountability to the store. She is doing some extra around-the-house work to earn extra allowance to pay the store back, and I have arranged a meeting for us with the store manager (I called ahead of time and explained the situation).
Now, I am getting feedback from family/friends that making her confess to the store manager is too harsh. I am getting responses like She is only 6, kids do this stuff, as long as we tell her stealing is wrong that is fine, etc. I will of course do what we think is right and take her to confess to the store manager and pay for the candy, I don't really care what other people say. I already feel like a horrible enough parent, I don't need what other people are saying to make me feel even worse!
I just wondered - has anyone else gone through this? What did you do in your situation? Does anyone else think I am being too harsh?
Thanks for any input.
So we explained to her how stores work - the store has to buy the things that they sell - and talked to her about what would happen to the store if everyone stole even just one item, etc.
We told her we are proud of her for telling the truth, but stressed how wrong stealing is and so forth.
We both think that even though she has shown some accountability to us, that she also needs to show accountability to the store. She is doing some extra around-the-house work to earn extra allowance to pay the store back, and I have arranged a meeting for us with the store manager (I called ahead of time and explained the situation).
Now, I am getting feedback from family/friends that making her confess to the store manager is too harsh. I am getting responses like She is only 6, kids do this stuff, as long as we tell her stealing is wrong that is fine, etc. I will of course do what we think is right and take her to confess to the store manager and pay for the candy, I don't really care what other people say. I already feel like a horrible enough parent, I don't need what other people are saying to make me feel even worse!
I just wondered - has anyone else gone through this? What did you do in your situation? Does anyone else think I am being too harsh?
Thanks for any input.