DS 4, DS 3 and I went to the science museum this afternoon. We stopped at the gift shop just before leaving, and I made a small purchase. At the cash register DS 4 and I played with a couple of wind up toys -- the cool kind, like spiders with skinny metal legs wound by a metal key. They were display models -- the ones for sale were in boxes marked $14. I agreed with DS they were fun, but no way were we going to buy them. So about 3/4 of the way into the 30 minute drive home, DS casually says, "I accidentially put those toys in your bag, so can we keep them?"

Oh shit shit crap.

I said "Oh no," and said that that was stealing and that was bad and we would have to bring them back. I was upset and I guess I let this show in my voice. DS got hysterical, sobbed "but I like the way they move!" and then kept screaming, "don't say anything, don't say anything!

So what to do. I do at least have a clear grasp that he does not get to play with the toys he stole, but beyond that I'm uncertain. I guess we could spend another hour of the road tomorrow going back there, but if we do, do I try to get him to say sorry and risk another meltdown, this one in public? Does being forced to give something that you stole back in person really hammer home the lesson, or is it just humiliating and engender bad feelings in the long run? DS was so hysterical, I'm even afraid of having a quiet talk about it with him tonight.

I never did have a conversation with him before about stealing -- Maybe I should have. He does have a grasp of the concept though -- only this afternoon he was accusing other children in the pre-school play area of the museum of stealing toys from him. Sigh.