Real Life MMD: Should I tell on the little girl shoplifter?

karen1974_2

I would definitely do something, this is unacceptable behaviour from a 4 year old, my 3 and a half year old would know this and if she did something like this she would be punished. Although I probably wouldn't approach the parent or gaurdian she was with, because you can never tell the kind if response you will get in this day and age I would probably let someone in the shop know.

purplepatch

My 2yo daughter half inched an enormous dusty bottle of Gaviscon, from my local chemist. I was halfway down the road before I noticed. I took it back immediately and we all laughed about her peculiar choice.

I would have told the mum, but only if she didn't look too scary

PoorPennilessMe

I too have been in a similar situation. I opted to tell the Parent (the Father in my case), but in a loud enough voice (without being obvious what I was doing) that the staff heard too.

This ensures that the shop employees know about it, and there are witnesses if the person gets lairy... :-)

pennypinchUK

Where's the dilemma here? Simply, approach the parent and quietly tell them what you saw. The 4-year old girl is too young to understand that level of right and wrong, and it's the parent's responsibility to start that process of teaching them. A responsible parent would understand the importance of teaching the child what is right and wrong. A responsible parent would demonstrate it by returning the stolen sweets. If the parent doesn't chastise the girl you know there's trouble ahead, and in 18 years the little girl will become a real life walking crime statistic because she wasn't taught right and wrong by their parent.

whosforachat

I would leave her to it.

ailuro2

I'd tell the parent, nip it in the bud before they get the idea you can get chocolate for free every time you go to the shop.:D

Ebenezer_Screwj

I would tell the parent what the child had done and let her sort it out. I don't think the supermarket would take a very serious view as they always place these sort of temptations in childrens way at their check-outs.

domprague

Tricky one - I was in a similar situation, said something and nearly ended up in a fight with the girl's Dad and uncle.

meher

it is wrong, we know it and one of these days she will know it; but not an incident so sinful enough for us to grab a pitch fork or charge with a flaming torch

fruugal

A quick, quiet word to her mother could get it put right and the girl learn that she has to pay without making a great drama out of it.