What would you do if your children were caught shoplifting?

i'll tel them not repeat this kind of things

Actually I had that happen with my oldest son.And the cd he got caught stealing wasn't even for him but the friend he was with.I grounded him for a month with no friends over,especially that one.It must have worked,he's never been in trouble again.

i would definitely make them write the store an apology, take away something they really enjoyed and go into that store and then pay for what they stole.

It would depend on the age also. My son was just a toddler when he asked for gum, I said no and he took it and put it in his pocket. He knew better but really wasn't old enough to think about the consequences so when we got to the car and he pulled out some gum I asked him where he got it. He said he took it. I walked him back into the grocery store, spoke to the woman at the front desk and explained how I wanted it handled and then we proceeded with a little 'due process' where he had to tell her he stole something. She explained that this was against the law and I told him that this meant she could call the police. He was petrified. I explained that perhaps if he said he was sorry AND then promised to never take anything that wasn't his again she might decide that this was punishment enough and not call the police. He was so frightened but I guarantee you he NEVER took another thing that wasn't his again! As a teen, he knows (as do his friends and my other kids) that if they are EVER caught shoplifting I will allow the police to take full action and will NOT come to his rescue under ANY conditions. This alone has served its purpose as he went to the mall with a person he really didn't know in the group of friends, who decided to steal. When the kid took off my son not only stood there and would not run with the group of friends, even the ones that didn't steal but knew guilt by association takes place. He instead called me on the phone, told me what happened and said he needed a ride home since the other kids were gone and they were all supposed to ride with him. His one true friend and best friend stayed with him. When I picked them up I told them how proud I was and we laughed as we drove past the whole group of kids he was with... all being put into a cop car. Later, when we saw the kids in the neighborhood we asked them if they learned anything. Believe me, they had!