My son is stealing from my neighbour; but she won't stop him

"They know his history. Shouldn't they help me?"

They say home is where the WiFi connects automatically, but for one mum that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Her eight-year-old son has sparked a neighbourhood dispute, because he keeps hacking next door’s WiFi.  

After visiting for a playdate, he returned home with the password memorised, and has been merrily using it, because they don't have connection at home.

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"It fills me with anxiety"

Writing in an online parenting group, she explains:

“He’s been hooked up to her Wi-Fi for about two weeks and has been sneaking time on his laptop overnight. It fills me with anxiety about what he’s possibly doing on there."

She can't get him to willingly disconnect, so she asked her neighbour to change their password, placing full responsibility for the situation on them.

“They know his history. He has a brain like a sponge and a photographic memory," she says.

Understandably, it's an idea that the neighbour isn't on board with. 

“She’s said she can’t change the password as that is too complicated. I found it quite odd that she couldn’t change it in an effort to stop him freeloading off her and keep him safe."

Image: iStock

"His laptop is 'very special' to him"

The mum has since removed the laptop from her son's room completely, because it’s the only way she knows how to stop him. He did not like that.

“He’s been flat out screaming and shouting for an hour now because his laptop is ‘very special’ to him," she says.

The device has all of his schoolwork and pictures of his pets - including ones that have passed away. 

“He can get quite sentimental and sees this as a bit of an attack from me now."

If only her neighbour would comply with her demands...

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"He's your child"

The response to the woman's complaints weren't empathetic. 

“She doesn’t have to change her Wi-Fi password just because you tell her to. He’s your child,” one said. 

“Your son and his laptop are your responsibility, not your neighbour's,” another wrote.  

Finally, this person was brave enough to be more direct: “You can’t delegate parenting to your neighbour."  

What would you do in this mum's situation? Tell us in the comments on Facebook!

Originally published as My son is stealing from my neighbour; but she won't stop him