My fifth grade daughter came home to tell me about another girl in her class who had her purse, her IPOD and her cell phone stolen. “What fifth grader has a cell phone?” I asked in astonishment.

“Everyone but me,” she answered. “Do you want to know who stole it?”

“Just tell me it wasn’t one of my kids.” Not a stretch as I have three fifth graders, two fourth graders and a third grader there in that one hall.

My children, adopted as older sibling groups, usually school age, had many issues with taking stuff that didn’t belong to them. I knew it came from a background of severe deficiencies, they usually never knew where their next meal would come from or how long they’d live in any one place.

For many years food was stolen and hoarded here, frustrating me beyond belief as I’d hardly get the groceries unloaded before they were gone, food wrappers left everywhere as evidence, but never would I receive either an admission of guilt or an apology.

Nowadays the thievery has greatly diminished but random acts still occur usually as a result of the jealousy factor. A ‘she has it, I WANT it’ act of aggravation.

To hear of a theft like this at our small elementary school shocked the pea turkey out of me. It is a fairly affluent school with usually unassuming children who don’t act out at all, very few behavior problems…except, of course, from my children.

I was then doubly surprised and unbelievably grateful to learn that it was not one of my children who’d stolen this purse and items. The girl who was caught was suspended from school for several days. As far as I know, this may very well be one of the first suspensions ever at this school that is only six years old.

Amazingly none of my elementary children have been suspended. Sadly we’re the resident behavior problems. However my children all have explanations and labels for their issues and challenges. No excuses for their misbehaviors, but simply reasons why they act as they do.

It’s a rare day that I get to release a sigh of relief because a culprit doesn’t have my last name.

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