Instilling Values in Our Kids: A Story of Sticky Fingers and a Butterfingers

Here it is!  The first post in this series – Instilling Values in Our Kids.  (Check out our introduction post to learn more.)

And it’s a story about sticky fingers and a Butterfinger.

Because, one afternoon, as I was unpacking the groceries, I found a Butterfinger in one of our bags.

I looked at Josh, my husband, and asked him if he caved in to one of the girls’ plea and bought them a candy bar at the checkout.  But, he said he didn’t.  It was then that we looked at each other with questioning eyes… Did one of our girls steal a candy bar??

After going over the grocery receipt two or three times, not seeing a candy bar listed on it, I told Josh that we better take care of this.  Our girls stole a candy bar from the grocery store.  How fitting that it would be a Butterfingers, stolen with “sticky fingers” (even though they’ve never even had a Butterfingers before or stolen anything before either).

Josh and I wanted to nip this in the butt right away.  Stealing is not okay.  Stealing is dishonest, and dishonesty is not acceptable.  We want to instill within our children honesty and integrity.

So, Josh took both of the girls (since we weren’t 100% positive as to which one did it) back to Kroger so the girls could take back the candy bar, and apologize to the cashier.

We explained to our children what stealing is – taking something that isn’t ours without permission or without paying for it – and that it is a very bad thing to do and that they should never do it again.

We felt that it was completely worth the trip back to the store to instill this value within our kids.  We didn’t just want to tell them not to steal again, but keep the candy bar (either for ourselves or them).  If our children had any money, we may have had them pay for it as well.

What do you do when you find out your children have stolen something?

More Posts about Instilling Values in Kids:

• Instilling Values in Our Kids: Introduction
• Instilling Gratitude and Thankfulness
• Instilling Faith in Jesus Christ
• Instilling Kindness – #TackyBoxKindness
• Instilling the Value of Service
• Instilling the Value of Humor
• Teaching Children the Importance of Work
• Have Your Child Plan Their Own Birthday Party
• The Importance of Agency and Making Good Choices
• Honesty and Stealing – Butterfingers and Sticky Fingers
• Developing Girl’s Positive Self-Esteem
• Cleaning up {Life’s} Messes

Be sure to Follow My Instilling Values in Our Children Pinterest Board for even more great posts!