Teenagers stealing food

poet123

We are one such family, but the nature of the beast (male adolescent) is that they are always hungry, so unless there are financial constraints (which is I suspect at the heart of the issue here) most families of my acquaintance do have a reasonably open door policy on fruit, biscuits, cereals etc.

nikki-read

how can you say that your kids are stealing they are just eating whats there im not being funny but some people treat there kids like lodgers and they are not yes you may be paying mortgage or rent but you chose to have the children and the fact you say they are stealing really annoys me poor kids. if you want to make cookies bring the ingredients straight in and make them dont leave it around waiting to be eaten :silenced:

shellsuit

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

That may be the way things run in your family but it's not some kind of definitive truth.

I wasn't brought up that way and neither were many other people, so you shouldn't generalise.

Why, do you let your children have free reign over your purse?!

ceridwen

This whole thing is going out of my depth frankly...I'm still wondering what the whole thing of a video recording of one of the children was about - the one that mentioned it recorded one of the children stuffing food down their mouth (ie that was mentioned in another thread of Raksha's).

The only thing that is completely clear is that this isnt just to do with food - theres a lot more problem stuff going on than just that in this household - and its gone way beyond me and most of the rest of us.

I just feel sorry for those kids.

zenmaster

I have read some rubbish on this forum before but the absolute drivel on this thread takes more biscuits than a gang of teenagers on a midnight snack raid.

Thankfully there are very few hungry children in this country (and that is too many) but unfortunately an almost unlimited supply of greedy ones. Do not mistake the two.

I know. They screw their little faces up and say in a baby voice "I'm hungwy mummy" and it would appear that many of you just shed a little tear, say "you poor darling" and lob them a biscuit/sweetie/banana. I guess you just feel insecure about your parenting skills; such a bad mummy to let her precious one starve.

Still, I'm glad you've got it all sorted out between you. It's obviously the father's fault (always is), the kid's a junkie and the OP should

maybe think of somewhere you and the boys could go to be safe, try to keep some cash in your purse and maybe a few clothes ready packed in a holdall.

all because the kid nicked some nuts.

PS. If the word "stealing" offends you, might I suggest "pilfering". It means the same but is perhaps somewhat more gentile.

Oldernotwiser

shellsuit wrote: »

Why, do you let your children have free reign over your purse?!

Of course not; I doubt that many people do. However, many of us don't give their children free rein over food supplies either, which was the point I was making.

Oldernotwiser

ceridwen wrote: »

....but if you're hungry you're hungry....

I wouldnt argue with a growling stomach and say "But its not mealtime - so you cant have anything".

My family and - on from there myself - dont go in wholesale for snacking..BUT its recognised that someone may well feel hungry in between mealtimes and, if that happens, then you eat.

What's the big deal to that?

No-one should ever go hungry - and its fair enough to expect that the person themselves is capable of judging whether they are genuinely hungry or eating just because they're bored/it's there/etc.

Were you never told "if you eat that now, it'll spoil your appetite?" because I know I was.

Genuine hunger is one thing but feeling a bit peckish is something else. Perhaps if we all were more prepared for our children to be a bit hungry sometimes, we might not have a childhood obesity epidemic.

Oldernotwiser

poet123 wrote: »

We are one such family, but the nature of the beast (male adolescent) is that they are always hungry, so unless there are financial constraints (which is I suspect at the heart of the issue here) most families of my acquaintance do have a reasonably open door policy on fruit, biscuits, cereals etc.

But does that preclude manners and asking "mum, is it ok if I have a bowl of cereal, I'm starving?"?

MrsE_2

Raksha wrote: »

For those who struggle with the term 'stealing' - would you feel any different if he was (and he has) taken money from my purse? What is the difference between this and taking food - it all has a value and taking it means it is no longer available to the rest of the family.

You seriously have family issues.

I personally find you accusing your children of stealing when all they are doing is grabbing a snack at home when hungry quite disturbing.

AND the fact that you justify it by trying to equate it to stealing from your purse.

I did think it was your husband being a bully & forcing you to behave in this way before I read this post.

For your information when my DD was at college & only working part time when DH & I went on holiday we left her my debit card (& shopping) the debit card in case she had an emergency. I can't understand your meanness to your own children.

MrsE_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But does that preclude manners and asking "mum, is it ok if I have a bowl of cereal, I'm starving?"?

ONW - I don't think thats manners.

In our home, its ALL our home & whatevers there is for everyone.