The Stealing Gene: When Family Ties Trump Personal Values A recent trend in family dynamics has come to light through letters to Care and Feeding, where grandparents and grandchildren engage in petty theft as a bonding experience.
In one letter, parents are horrified when their children help their grandmother collect condiments from empty tables at a restaurant; another parent is at odds with his sister in law's 14 year old daughter who "borrowed" his car without permission.
These incidents suggest that the lines between acceptable and unacceptable behavior are being blurred when family members are involved.