The problem of child theft is complex and multifaceted. Every child steals something at least once in their life. Many parents are lost and don’t know what to do when faced with this. When a child has not reached 4 years of age, it is still difficult to regard his act as theft. At this age, the child has not yet developed a clear division of things into “theirs” and “theirs.” But the sooner you begin to explain that you cannot take someone else’s property without asking, the faster he will form moral principles. Discuss situations with your child that involve violations of moral standards. Focus on describing the experiences of the person from whom the child took the item. Teach to stand in the shoes of another so that he understands how the person feels in this situation. Teach to be responsible and accountable for your actions. Never call a child a thief or physically punish them! This can greatly alienate your child from you; he will withdraw into himself. Try to calmly discuss everything with him, think together about how best to fix everything so as not to offend anyone. In any case, help your child get out of the situation with dignity, without hurting his pride or losing faith in himself. Give money for small expenses, let the child learn to manage it independently. Remember that a child will not steal if there is no need for it. First you need to understand the reason. Perhaps he did not steal the item, but simply swapped it with a friend for a while. If the item is really stolen, then you need to help the child return it, do it together, your support is important to him. The main motives for theft: 1. The child does not know how to establish normal relationships with peers. He steals money to buy gifts to win the friendship of his classmates. Explain that such friendship does not last forever and as soon as the money runs out, he will cease to be interesting. Teach how to gain attention using other methods.2. A bad company, in which theft is the norm or he is forced to steal. This can happen due to lack of self-confidence and an attempt to gain authority, the need for self-affirmation. Make it clear that friends will never encourage you to do such things. Invite his friends to your home, to be aware of who your child communicates with, meet the parents of his friends.3. Stealing as an imitation of parental example. The child may witness how you yourself bring from work everything that is “bad”. And for him this becomes the norm.4. Perhaps the child is being extorted money or has lost someone's item.5. Emotional coldness of parents, tense situation in the family. Here the theft is a cry for help, the child is trying to get your attention. Do not treat your child strictly; he needs your affection, attention, and understanding. Spend more time together. 6. Children's impulsiveness. If the child is still small, then sometimes it is difficult for him to resist taking the thing that he wants with all his heart. Pay more attention to your child’s needs; perhaps you are not giving him something. DO NOT provoke theft by leaving money in plain sight and easily accessible.7. Envy. The child begins to steal things that, for one reason or another, you do not buy for him. Olga Zharkova