We all want what’s best for our children. We show them love and teach them life lessons in hopes that they will grow up to be empathetic, independent, intelligent humans. But they’re bound to make some mistakes along the way, especially during their teenage years. We’ve all been through it, and as hard as these mistakes can be to accept, it’s best to confront them head on rather than bury our heads in the sand.

One gas station employee recently shared a story on the Entitled Parents subreddit detailing their encounter with a difficult mother at work. Below, you’ll find the whole story of the Karen who refused to believe her son could do any wrong, as well as some of the replies readers have left. Feel free to share your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, and let us know if you’ve ever had to deal with customers stealing at work. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article calling out an entitled mother, look no further than right here. 

After catching two teenagers stealing, this gas station employee then had to deal with one of their incredibly entitled mothers

Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk (not the actual photo)

Image credits: CBS Fan (not the actual photo)

For some reason, the teens were bold enough to show their faces in the gas station again

Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Mike Mozart (not the actual photo)

But one of their mothers could not believe that her son would do such a thing

Image credits: Muted_Violinist5151

Despite being against the law, stealing seems to be a quite common experience for teenagers to have. According to WebMD, teens account for 25% of shoplifters arrested in the United States, and 89% of kids say that they know other kids who shoplift. When it comes to why they do it though, the answer is not always clear. Teens do commonly experiment with high risk behaviors, such as drinking and smoking, so perhaps it’s just for the rush of knowing they’re doing something “bad”.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Anthony E. Wolf hypothesizes that it’s due to a combination of poor impulse control and adolescent vulnerability. “Teenagers new to a sense of their own autonomy want to show to themselves that they can do bad and naughty things. It gives them a sense of power and excitement,” he says. Teens also may be stealing to seem cool amongst their peers or steal something after being dared by a friend. “The effect of the group is powerful in this age group. They’ll goad each other into it.”

When it comes to deterring teens from stealing again, most businesses will take an apology and will agree not to press charges so long as it never happens again. But in the United States, there is a juvenile justice system that can handle providing punishments to teens as well. Nancy Gannon, the executive deputy director of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, told WebMD that most times, for first time offenders, cases involving teens shoplifting are sent to teen courts, where teen volunteers decide the punishment of their peers.

“One major principle of juvenile courts is to give children who’ve made a mistake a second chance,” Gannon says. Parents can also help by ensuring that their teen understands the consequences of their actions and that if it happens again, their parents may not be able to protect them. It is out of the control of their family if they continue to break the law. Often, understanding this is enough to stop a teen from becoming a repeat offender.

Although stealing is wrong, it is understandable that teenagers are at a formative age, and they’re likely to make mistakes. When they do, however, they should be encouraged to learn from their mistakes. The mother in this story did not seem to view that as a priority for her son. As a full grown adult woman, there is no excuse for defending your child after seeing video evidence that they broke the law. It is hard to accept that our loved ones are not perfect, but if a mistake like this is brushed under the rug, it sends a message that it’s no big deal. If he received no punishment and his mother is in denial about the fact that he stole anything, why would this teen be deterred from stealing again?

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation. Have you ever had to deal with a Karen like this at work? Feel free to share in the comments below, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring an obnoxious Karen, look no further than right here. 

Readers have applauded the employee, noting that the mother should probably be banned as well

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