S3E39 - Child "Stealing": Why It Happens and How to Handle It

Play Therapy Parenting: Real Parenting Questions Answered by a Child Therapist · Apr 22, 2026 · 15m · transcript

In this episode, I answer a question from a mom about her child taking things that don't belong to her. I explain that while this behavior can feel alarming, it is actually very common in childhood and is usually tied to development, impulse, and a child's desire to meet a need in the moment. Children often understand that taking things is wrong, but they don't yet have the ability to reason through that impulse or regulate it effectively. What looks like stealing is often a combination of desire, limited self-control, and not yet having the words to express what they want or feel.

I also…