Man, if I was a little kid and getting in trouble all the time and a lot of the time I had no memory or idea of what I had just done - or even worse, no idea why I did what I just had done ...... I certainly would be blaming other people, an lying to cover my arse too.
Thank you, those are interesting numbers. Great logic too.
Personally, (as someone with ADD) I'd hate to be judged by those statistics but I feel that you are correct.
In retrospect, perhaps I did blame others for some of my personal failures when I was younger.
Yes, stealing is a part of ADHD for some kids. It is related to the impulsiveness.
"Lying, cursing, stealing, and blaming others become frequent components of ADHD; especially as the child gets older. According to some particularly depressing data by Russell Barkley, here is how ADHD children compare to typical children:"
Symptom ADHD Children (%) Typical Children(%)
Stealing (not involving threats) 50 7
Lies 49 5
Blames others for own mistakes 66 17"
[Barkley RA, Fischer M, et al. The Adolescent outcome: An 8-year prospective follow up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 29, 546-557.]
One indication of it being related to ADHD and the meds, would be if the stealing lesses when the meds should be working - like at school in the mornings.
I, too, question whether the stealing is related to ADHD. In any case, bad behavior, for any reason, has to be treated as such.
I don't think the stealing has anything to do with ADHD. But I agree with Sandman that it would be a good idea to discuss this with her doctor.
Personally, I would just discipline her very harshly whenever she steals anything. You didn't say that you punished her at all. She needs to learn that her actions have consequences.
You are right in that the meds are not working at home. Depending on the med - what is she on by the way? - they usually take 20 to 60 min to kick in. Thus, they are not going to be working in the morning. If she is also having a problem at school, it may be that the medication is not strong enough for her. Doctors always start out at the lowest dose and then increase it based on how the parents tell them it is going. So it probably would be a very good idea to talk to your doctor!
You are just going to have to closely monitor her in the morning. Don't leave flashy things out. This is something that she should gain more control over as she gets older. A lot, or most, of this is due to the impulsiveness of ADHD which she really doesn't yet have control over. So you just have to make sure that the opportunities are not there for her - just as you would not let her play by a busy street.
Is the stealing the only thing that is bothering you?