"She's a little clepto in the making": Aunt refuses to return niece's belongings until she gives back decorations that she stole from her home, teaches her a lesson herself when mom doesn't take theft seriously

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Mar 24, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

Did you ever steal stuff as a small child – before you knew it was wrong? My parents love regaling me with the story of the time that I stole a My Little Pony toy from Walmart as a toddler. The way they tell it, I actively hid the toy until I started opening it in the car, but I suspect that they just weren't paying that much attention. Where could a 2-year-old hide a whole toy in its full packaging, after all? I don't think my parents returned the opened toy to the store, but I wasn't allowed to keep it as punishment for my actions. 

In our story today, a small girl steals some porcelain figurines straight off of her aunt's shelves. The aunt, our protagonist, doesn't realize that she has them until she watches one of her sister's social media stories and spots them in the background. When her sister fails to take the theft seriously, our protagonist holds her little niece's toys hostage to teach her a big life lesson.

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  • 01

    AITA for holding onto my niece's belongings until my things were returned?

    "She's old enough to learn that actions have consequences."
    via pixelshot

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    A few weeks ago, my sister and her daughter came over for a visit. We had a nice time - the adults chatted in the kitchen while the kids played in the living room. I collect small ceramic figurines and display them on a shelf. They aren't worth much, but they're special to me.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10485065472
    via amatevosyan1982

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 04
    A few days after their visit, I noticed some figurines were missing. At first, I thought I had misplaced them, but then I saw a photo on social media that my sister posted - one of my figurines was sitting on a shelf in my niece's room.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 05
    I messaged my sister and asked if they had taken them by mistake. She said her daughter probably took them because she liked them and promised to bring them back next time.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 06
    When they visited again, the figurines didn't come with them. My sister said she forgot. By then, I was more annoyed than anything.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 07
    - After they left, I gathered up all the little things my niece had left behind during previous visits — some toys, notebooks, and hair accessories - and gave them to my sister's friend who works nearby. I asked her to return them only after I got my stuff back.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10485065728
    via capturenow

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    That evening, my sister called me, clearly upset. She said I was being petty and that I shouldn't drag kids into adult problems. I told her that if her daughter was old enough to take things that didn't belong to her, she was old enough to learn that actions have consequences.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 10
    The next day, my sister showed up with not only my figurines but also a few extra ones that weren't even mine. I returned them all and gave back her daughter's things as well. I told her that in the future, I expected her to handle things more seriously if something like this happened again.
    via u/Efficient_Way6064
  • 11
    Now my sister is mad and says I overreacted. My mom thinks I should've just had a calm talk instead of making a point like that. So, AITA for standing my ground?
    via u/Efficient_Way6064

  • It's not like she torched or gave away the kid's belongings. She simply showed her what it's like to not have access to your things because someone doesn't want to give them back. It's a really simple life lesson!

  • 12
    NTA No_Squirrel7220 Sister has a little clepto in training it seems and shouldn't downplay or dismiss it It needs to be addressed and you did right
    via u/No_Squirrel7220
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10485065984
    via bobbieo

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 14
    KareNPuzzled Agreed. OP's niece intentionally took your belongings. This is not a "mistake".
    via u/KareNPuzzled
  • 15
    No-Function223 Nta & you did have a talk with her. First on the phone where she admitted her daughter stole them & again when she visited you without them. You gave her the opportunity to make it right without drama, but your sister made it clear the only way she was actually going to solve the issue was through drama.
    via u/No-Function223
  • 16
    Belle-Home4331 NTA. The figurines were your property and you had a right to get them back.
    via u/Belle-Home4331
  • 17
    hiraeth_stars NTA. Kids won't learn unless they're taught and she needs to be taught that stealing is wrong. Mom needs to up her parenting game.
    via u/hiraeth_stars

  • She taught her niece a lesson and apparently her fully-grown sister as well! Our protagonist is doing a better job at parenting than sis is.

  • 18
    Quiet Moon2191 Wonder what she's seen mommy taking? Might not be just about lack of discipline but imitation.
    via u/Quiet_Moon2191
  • 19
    Celesterainn NTA. Girl, ur sis is trippin'. She let her kid steal, then "forgot" to return them? That's not a mistake, that's disrespect. And ur mom's enabling her, as usual. U did the right thing, boundaries are important.
    via u/Celesterainn
  • 20
    Own_Repair_4558 NTA you just wanted your stuff back and taught a lesson in the process.
    via u/Own_Repair_4558
  • 21
    EyeFree3731 NTA. Your niece took something that wasn't hers, and your sister brushed it off instead of addressing it properly. Holding onto your niece's belongings until your things were returned wasn't petty—it was
    via u/EyeFree3731
  • 22
    a way to make sure your sister actually followed through. If your niece is old enough to take things, she's old enough to learn that taking without asking is wrong. Your sister needed a wake-up call to teach her daughter about respecting other people's belongings.
    via u/EyeFree3731
  • 23
    JoyReader0 Just about every kid does this once. Mine certainly did, but only once. Each was marched right back to return the item and apologise. I think it's a normal and important stage of socializing the little barbarians.
    via u/JoyReader0
  • 24
    boredathome1962 NTA. Children, even young ones, need to know that you don't steal. It can be done nicely of course, but it is important for their growth. So sis is being cruel to her daughter by not making this point, and you are not wrong insisting on getting your stuff back. Worth money or not, sis should have returned it, no question.
    via u/boredathome1962

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family drama collection sisters siblings motherhood niece reddit story parenting aunt life lessons entitled family sister Reddit raising kids thief
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