I remember the first time I stole something, I must have been about 4 -5 years old and I was in kindergarden. We had been playing shop and customers all day, and we had these fake money things, they were made out of plastic and had different colours. And all the kids put them in their pockets or bags or something, and we played, I remember how much fun we had that day.
At the end of the day my mom came to pick me up, we walked home and I told her everything we did that day. Then we came home and we had our dinner with dad, suddenly I put my hand in the pocket and took out the money. I was so shocked. I just stared at them and I couldnt believe that I still had them, I had been so sure that I had given back every single cent to my teacher in kindergarden.
My mom looked at me and asked what I was holding in my hand, I just looked at her with a scared face, my mom told me about my face, I just remember my heart beating harder and faster, I gave it to her and started to cry. I had stolen the money! She of course was confused, she first thought I had taken them, but then as I managed to explain myself, she understood that I didnt mean to take them.
The next day I had to appologize, but I still felt like a thief. And I was so upset. No one ever said that I was a thief and I know that it was an accident that I had them in my pocket, but that feeling was so scary and even this day I remember it. I guess I am a little thief, a thief that has never dared to “steal”again after that experience.
