Ithought you might wanted to have a childs point of view… I think it will help alot. One of my BEST FIRENDS since i was 4 yrs old has been stealing from me since THE DAY SHE MET ME. I was destroyed when i had so called “lost” my stuffed animal i had since i was born. I “lost” it when i was 5 yrs old and i found out JUST TODAY which is 7 yrs later, she has been stealing many, MANY things from me! Infact she has a stash of my things! I was having a sleep over at her house and i woke up in the middle of the night feeling bad vibes from her house… Searching for something to occupie myself, I came across a giant box marked ‘Barbies’ on it. I opened it thinking i should use those to eccupie myself AND THERE LIES MY MISSING THINGS. I knew there was something going on very strange from the beginning because my mom is a neat freak and HATES losing things. So most of the time, it just doesn’t happen. I didn’t take anything because i was raised beleiving stealing was a VERY BAD THING. So i ignored it and tried to confront her later. I told her i found my missing things in her house AND SHE COMPLETELY DENIED EVERYTHING. She said they were all hers that she got from her grandma and her aunt and mother. That is when i started losing sleep, getting paranoid when i leave her in a room by herself, hiding all my things before she comes over, staying awake all night leeps over, and many other symtoms I an’t rid of. It isn’t the nicest feeling- that’s for sure.

You know that you can’t allow this behavior to go on. It’s harmful to your children, your family, and ultimately, to the boy himself. So the real question boils down to whom you talk to first.

I suggest that you explain the situation to your boys, who are old enough to understand what’s going on. Emphasize to them the importance of discretion, and tell them how you plan to handle the situation and why — that will reinforce the lessons that you want them to learn. Bad things happen in life, but you can teach them how to deal with bad situations by maintaining moral responsibility.

Then talk to the parent. Don’t request compensation or recommend action, just make the parent aware of the situation so he can handle it as he sees fit. If you lay out the facts as you’ve put them here, there’s no denying that the friend is a thief. If the parent denies it anyway, then maybe your children aren’t the only ones who need to reconsider their choice of friends.

I am sorry that you’ve been put in such an uncomfortable situation, but the silver lining is that you can teach your children a valuable life lesson.

Good luck.

A very difficult situation I agree, but you need to be strong both for your sons sakes and his.

By ignoring the situation you are teaching your friends son and your sons that stealing is OK and that to turn a blind eye to it is OK.

I’m sure this is not what you want your sons to learn.

It will also act to undermine your teaching and philosophies that you teach your kids.

My advice, phone the parents explain the problem and tell them the boy is barred from your home until the stolen items are returned and they assure you that he has been spoken to and that it will not happen again.

If you do not the matter will escalate until either money or something of value disappears.

Also your sons will feel that you are unable to protect them or their belongings in their own home.

How would you feel if it was your friend and no-one did anything?

Hope this helps.

Good luck

Colin