An Iowa mom-of-three was left wondering if she might get a call from the cops after discovering what her daughter brought home from kindergarten.
It’s not uncommon for very young children to steal random items from time to time. Kids only begin to develop an understanding of ownership around the ages of three to five, so if they see something that interests them, it’s more than likely they will simply take it.
A 2016 study published in the journal Child Development suggested many of these kids simply struggle to imagine anyone would be angry or upset at someone’s belongings being taken.
Emily Powell’s daughter Octavia, 4, certainly didn’t understand why her mom was so shocked by what she brought home from kindergarten recently. Octavia is at an age where, while beginning to understand how personal property works, she’s not averse to occasionally helping herself to it.
Often these items will turn up in the backpack she brings home from school. “We have found some random items in her backpack this year,” Powell told Newsweek.
There was what Octavia described as the “barbie knife” she found. “It looked like more of a little silver tool that was sharp,” Powell said. “I have no idea how or where she found it but she always has big elaborate stories of how she got her things she finds and she said her friend gave it to her.”
As well as occasionally bringing home an assortment of other kid’s toys, there was also the “magical jewel” Octavia said she found. “It was a clear gem that she said she took from the principal’s office,” Powell said.
Octavia may have outdone herself with what her mom recently found in her backpack though: a set of keys featuring a yellow keyring with the words “Iowa State Patrol.” Powell found them along with a police badge in Octavia’s bag. What followed next was captured in a video Powell later posted to her Instagram @emilyopowell.
“Octavia, we need to talk,” Powell can be heard saying as she approaches Octavia. The camera captures her daughter’s hilarious reaction at being busted. “I found these in your backpack,” Powell tells her, with Octavia’s guilty look clear for all to see.
Octavia tries to talk her way out of it, claiming that a friend gave her “this fake thing,” but her mom isn’t buying it. “It doesn’t look very fake,” Powell says, pointing to the police badge and key ring.
“I’m worried the cops are going to come here and try to get their keys back,” she tells her daughter, perhaps hoping the threat might scare her straight.
In truth, Powell wasn’t all that mad about what happened. Kids will be kids. But she was certainly surprised and felt compelled to capture what happened next. “I found the keys in her bag and was shocked so I started video-ing to see what she said and I could send the video to my husband who was at work,” she said. “I thought it was really funny so I posted it so mainly friends and family could see.”
The post ended up going viral on Instagram with over 1.5 million views and counting. “That’s probably because it’s relatable and real,” Powell said. “Her reaction-her facial expressions and the way she says things are funny and animated.”
The good news is that Powell helped Octavia return the badge keys to their rightful and understandably shocked owner the next day. How they got into Octavia’s possession remains a mystery, but Powell is happy to laugh about it. “Little kids are mischievous,” she said.
