Eye Witness

I witnessed a disturbing incident while at K-Mart yesterday and need to share it. I was at the checkout behind a mother and her 2 kids, an older boy and younger daughter (I'd say about 7 and 4) when the girl asked her mom to buy something to which her mom said no. The girl started crying, walked past the register by her brother, stopped crying, then came back in the aisle behind her mom and picked up the item she had wanted in the first place which she proceeded to hide under her shirt. The mother was busy checking out so she didn't notice it. I was torn as to whether to tell her or let her find out herself which I figured wouldn't have been long since it was very noticeable. I also didn't know the reaction I would have gotten so I kept quiet. I think that's what's bothering me the most as things progressed, the mother never noticed it or did anything about it. As I finished checking out and went to my car, I saw the mother and those 2 kids riding the merry-go-round outside the store and the whole time, that little girl held on to her treasure under her shirt. I watched as they entered their car - still no reaction on the part of the mother. I realize that kids will be kids and they'll do almost anything to get what they want but it sure looked like this little girl had all the in and outs of shoplifting down pat - a scary thought for a child so young. I wonder what her next heist will be!! I firmly believe that making a child accountable for their actions, at any age, would go a long way in solving the problem. I think my kids would agree that when they did something wrong (an inevitable fact of life, I mean who has perfect kids) and I made them call and apologize, that made more of an impact on them than any spanking, time out or privileges lost could ever do. I can only hope that once they got home and the mother found the stolen item that she went back to the store, child in tow, and made her return it. Am I an optimist or what!!!