Seeking help for a problematic child?

Neighbors especially store owners have been complaining a 10-year-old girl in the neighborhood for stealing goods and cash from their store. Just this morning, the girl ‘strikes’ again. She was caught red-handed by the store owner picking a pack of sugar worth P10. I was told that the grandmother gave the little girl some money to purchase a pack of sugar. But instead of paying for the item, she stole it.

The girl’s mother was not in the country to address the situation. She just left yesterday to work as an employee abroad. The one left to take care of the girl’s mess was her aging grandmother, who incidentally is also looking after the girl’s three younger siblings age 4, 3 and 1.

Some neighbors expressed their concern over the girl’s predicament. They worry that the ‘stealing’ will happen unabated unless some measures are taken to help the child. Some heartless neighbors are beginning to call her names like little klepto.

As a mother, I, too is afraid of the child’s future. I wish to help the child since I know her family. I’m thinking of seeking the advise and later assistance of representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the area.

The girl could be going through a ‘traumatic condition’ that only an expert can address. Can you give me an additional insight on this? With your help maybe we can do something to save the child from further doing bad things or save her from the possible implications of her actions like irate neighbors inflicting harm on her. Any suggestion is deeply appreciated.

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