Stealing money from a baby

I woke up this morning with a horrible feeling that something wasn't quite right and it dawned on me that yesterday, while I was with Trouble at the Funny Farm, I allowed her to charge her phone in a bedroom. The same bedroom where there was what I thought was a £5 note sticking out of a babies money box. A huge temptation for a naughty 14 year old.

So before I went downstairs to join Trouble, I quickly checked her room and sure enough - there it was!!! It was actually a 5 euro note, folded just how it was sticking out of the babies money box. 

Before I wrongly accused Trouble, I checked with the Funny Farm owner and she confirmed the money was missing but declined my offer to take Trouble back to the farm to hand it over. Luckily, she is a very experienced and understanding foster carer who just asked me to make sure Trouble knew what she did was very wrong. But this didn't stop me from feeling very embarrassed and VERY VERY cross.

I took my time and avoided her for most of the morning, then sent her up to her room to get dressed and on her way, gave her a card and a pen and asked her to write an apology to the person she stole the 5 euros off. Initially she tried to deny it but I told her - short and sweet - I don't tolerate lying and she soon realised I mean business!!!

So, Trouble has spent most of the day in her room. I have had the opportunity to have a few chats with her and she's not arguing back. I'm hoping that her keeping out of our way is her showing a bit of a conscience. But the message I wanted to get across to her was that stealing off friends who need to trust me to keep their home safe, is just as bad as stealing off me. It doesn't matter how much money it is. 

I'm still furious!

We have decided to keep her another day to allow her mum to get home from her trip abroad and sort herself out, apologise to the neighbours, fumigate the apartment and just have a night at home before getting her Trouble back. 

And actually its been a very quiet day today with Trouble staying in her room and reminds me very much of my Fostering days years ago!!!