So I've got this jam jar of American coins and small bills that I've been squirrelling away for my next shopping trip south of the border. Just the other day, Monday, I acquired a $20US bill and added it to my stash... and when I went to add some more coins to it this morning, the $20 bill was missing.
I'm pretty sure it was one of my teenagers. They come into my room and do their makeup and use my bathroom on a regular basis. I just don't know who it was. I don't want to wrongly accuse anyone, but I don't want the one who took the money to get away with it either. I informed them this morning of my findings, and that although I couldn't identify who did it, unfortunately both of them would have to lose their $20 CDN allowance at the end of the week and all the social stuff they had wanted to plan for the weekend - including a sleepover for one of them. I gave them until 4 pm today to produce the $20US - just put it on my desk anonymously - no questions asked - and the punishment would go away.
One of them is protesting mightily at the "unfairness" of this decision. The other one didn't say anything. The one protesting is pleading to just take her $20 but let the other one have her $20 (get this) "because she already owes me $20". Then she says how I'm somehow "profiting" from denying both of them their allowance, because I'll be keeping $40 instead of getting $20 back. I countered with "Yes, but I'd rather have the $20 back and I'd much prefer to be able to trust my own kids around my money. That would be worth more money than anyone could ever steal from me." The lady doth protest too much methinks.
If they were hard-done-by, I could understand it. If they were overindulged, I could understand it too. They both get an allowance every week from their dad, plus a monthly "bonus" from me, in addition to clothing and the things they need. Their allowances are for things they "want" - movies, video game rentals, makeup, fake nails , and stuff like that.
I know I'm not going to see that $20US bill again. It makes me angry that I have to lock up my "mad money" in a safe. I shouldn't have to do that in my own home around my own flesh and blood.
So how do you guys handle things like this? I know it's a teen thing to try to get away with stuff like this, but there has to be an effective way of teaching them that it's a HUGE violation of family trust to steal from your mother or father or siblings, and that a family needs to be able to trust all of its members.