10-year-old sister steals $300 from her 19-year-old sibling: 'I told her it could've been $3000 that she stole, so I wasn't that mad at her.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
May 8, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

Where are their parents?

It's normal for a toddler or a little kid to go through a kleptomaniac phase. When my sister was a toddler, she stole a spool of thread from the craft supply store. When my mom discovered it, she made her go back to the store, return the thread, and apologize for what she had done. 

If you don't instill a fear of stealing in your kids from an early age, they'll keep trying to get away with it. I had a friend in my 1st grade class who came over to my house for a playdate and tried to steal money from my sister's piggy bank. Suffice to say, she was never invited over to our house again, but I'm not sure if her parents actually took her thieving seriously. Maybe she's still stealing money from little kids' piggy banks to this day! 

If a kid is 10 years old and is still stealing as if they're a toddler with little concept of right and wrong, something has gone horribly wrong with their upbringing. Either their parents don't care enough to teach them that what they're doing is wrong, or they're not imposing severe enough punishments for stealing. 

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  • The parents in this story are not around enough to know or care that their 10-year-old daughter is stealing from her 19-year-old siblings. The 19-year-old is totally enabling her behavior, but they shouldn't be the person parenting her in the first place!

  • Girl in pink t-shirt sitting on bed
    via Shalev Cohen

    A 10-year-old girl who constantly steals from her sibling and has yet to be punished for it

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • My 10-year-old little sister stole $300 from me and lost it. What should I do?

    I'm (19n) mad at her, but trying to calm myself down by telling myself "it could've been 3k. the money was for your selfish a, so calm the f down."
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • I've finally had enough. My belongings are in a room that nobody in the family uses, so I'm gonna be locking that room. She always takes my stuff
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • (books, pencils, idm clothes as long as she doesn't cut them, deodorant for some reason, and now money) and never gives it back.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • A bookshelf filled with lots of books on top of a white shelf
    via Aya Sanyoura

    A shelf of books in a bedroom, ripe for a little girl to take when her sibling leaves the room.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The other day i had a lot to do so I got one of my books and wrote it all down. Few hours later that page is missing, and I find most of my pages with her drawings. Yes, I buy her drawing books but she finishes them in less than a day.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • I have a weird obsession with mechanical pencils. I bought 20 a few weeks ago, now I have none. Sure I let my siblings use them, I gave them 2 each (i have 4 siblings) so I was supposed to have 12 remaining.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • And the money was for the day i finally stay home alone again. Stuff is expensive here, but I wouldn't be spending it all on one day.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • Earlier this morning, 10f came to me crying and saying she was sorry she lost my money. I was about to yell at her for going through my stuff again, so i asked her what she wanted and said I'd buy it for her, and that she didnt have to steal.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • She said it was okay because she didn't deserve it. I told her it could've been 3000 that she stole, so I wasn't that mad at her. She said she
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • wanted a few snacks and a coloring book, so I said that I wasn't gonna buy the snacks, just the coloring book.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • A pencil holder with colored crayons in it
    via VD Photography

    A coloring book, which a klepto child does not deserve as a reward for her petty crimes. 

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • But I feel like she's gonna do it again, and I hope I'm wrong. I'm just gonna keep that room locked just in case.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • edit she was on her way to the shop when an old guy saw her drop it and kept it then gave it to me and said i should give her a smaller amount next time. also, out parents
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • work most of the day so i can mostly speak to them if it's an emergency. thats why I'm left to raise the rest of them most of the time.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • Jealous-Studio-527 Your problem isn't your sister. It's your parents who haven't taught her how to behave.
    via u/Jealous-Studio-527
  • pliz-help-me Seriously I mean I could understand if the parents are deadbeats and OP feels like if they don't take care of the kids no one will - but even in that case you still need to involve some kind of trusted adult because at 19 you can't be taking care of 4 kids
    via u/pliz-help-me
  • SpectreSingh89 Right, right... She "lost" the cash. Probably in her friends wallet.
    via u/SpectreSingh89
  • iamsoboredatalltimes OP the only friend she has is 8f, one of our other siblings
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes
  • dramaticbubbletea She will definitely do this again because, apparently, there are no consequences for her actions. She doesn't respect you, your possessions or your boundaries. Even if you lock the door, if she views your things as hers, she'll figure out ways to pick or break that lock. Where are your parents in this? She needs to understand that she cannot take or borrow your things without permission.
    via u/dramaticbubbletea
  • Is she sad because she was caught stealing money from you or because she lost the $300 before she could spend it? Does she steal from other people? Other family members? Does she steal or wreck things belonging to her classmates? You and your parents need to sit her down and find out why she is doing this and then put a stop to this behaviour. She is becoming an untrustworthy person. Toddlers learn about "mine" and "yours" so her age is no excuse.
    via u/dramaticbubbletea
  • PeterGriffen565 Why are you buying your 10 year old sister anything? Where are your parents in this? It is their responsibility to see to her needs not you. In any case bad behavior should not be rewarded. To do so only reinforces the idea that there are no consequences for bad choices. Last but not least why would you leave money out or in such a place that anybody can come along and help themselves to it?
    via u/PeterGriffen565
  • iamsoboredatalltimes OP I felt bad about wanting to spend the money on myself. I leave the money in my drawer, hidden in a small bag inside a black t shirt. Our parents work a lot and come home tired so its up to me to parent them, only including our parents when it's extremely serious.
    via u/iamsoboredatalltimes

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locks stealing kleptomaniac siblings parenting books family clothes sister theft money
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