The new Team!
Momm, Martin took my puzzle away! Momm, Harry took my car, and put it in his locker. This is what I hear daily, it seems to be inherent to childhood, and a child’s wish to possess something that belongs to someone else.
So it is indeed quite a shock to discover this need for someone else’s possessions in an adult. It happened when I found out one of our staff members has been collecting items from our stock room on a daily basis. Milk, diapers, cooking oil, rice, pasta, tea, coffee, you name it. She also took clothes for her grand-daughter, shoes for her grand-son, and of course some nice chocolate milk for hubby.
What is the drive behind this behaviour to take things from another person? I mean, we all know it is not allowed to steal, but little kids still get away with it. Their understanding of ‘mine and thine’ is not yet strong enough to withstand the desire to get something. Actually the realization there is such a thing as Me and You, as two separate entities is still a difficult thing to comprehend under six years of age.
Children’s natural curiosity, and the will to explore anything we are not familiar with, is so strong. Kids seem to simply discard the issue of ownership, when it comes to the wish to handle for example attractive toys.
So you can imagine my total surprise when confronted with the fact that one of my staff members had serious case of ‘Grabbing Hands’. Now it can’t be that she does not know about ‘mine and thine’. Neither do I believe that the attraction of all the items in our storage room, cupboards, and kitchen instantly overthrew her understanding of possession. No, that girl knew what she what she was doing. She approached the task as a professional! In the morning she took two empty bags with her from home, during the day made an inventory of what was in store, and in the evening she left walking a bit slantwise because of the weight, bags filled with all sorts of goodies. What a treat!
And what a bummer one of the other ibu’s gave her little secret away at last. Now her selfish and criminal behaviour had to come an end, in our home anyway. Given the fact that it went on for a very long time, and that she showed no remorse what so ever, even denied any form of theft, I fear there is little chance of her finding the right path of honesty and love for her fellow human beings back.
So let us teach our children well, about love, truth, and dignity. Respect for other’s possessions, and the pleasure of requiring goods on your own strength and own money. As for me, she has abused my trust really bad. I never thought someone who is so kind to your face, can be so devious behind your back. It has taught me to be more vigilant, and act upon my intuition.
And the kids? They are okay, respond well to her departure, and the better, relaxed atmosphere because of it. ‘Momm, someone took the stress away….. hurray!