No changes had occurred in our immediate family. No trauma inducing event occurred to Patrick, to my knowledge. These behaviors were repeatedly consequenced upon our knowledge of them. The teacher has since modified Patrick's access to lunch money, markers, others' possessions. Stealing repeats itself when a substitute is responsible for the classroom.
Most communication is very brief.
Yet another meeting took place at the school yesterday. Other behaviors escalated when the stealing declined. Patrick also had a short two-week period with marked improvement before Christmas. During the meeting I interjected an observation I made while visiting the classroom. Patrick was exuberantly blamed for taking a girls marker.