AITA for informing my son’s friend’s parents that he is a kleptomaniac?

Imagine hosting a teen hangout—dice rolling, Warhammer minis clashing—when you realize your favorite pen’s gone AWOL. Now picture a mom spilling the beans: her 14-year-old son’s a kleptomaniac, slick as a fox, and might’ve nabbed it. That’s the sticky situation our redditor’s juggling, trying to keep her son’s social life intact while playing honesty cop with other parents. It’s a tightrope walk between support and stigma.

Fresh from Reddit’s AITA arena, this story’s a heart-tugger. Her son’s a good kid, battling a compulsion with therapy and a no-pockets policy, but his sticky fingers still slip. She warns parents to avoid drama, but when one blabs to the kids, bullying sends him home in tears—and he’s blaming her. Is she the villain here, or just a mom caught in a no-win bind? Let’s unpack this pilfering pickle.

‘AITA for informing my son’s friend’s parents that he is a kleptomaniac?’

Kleptomania’s no picnic—it’s a real impulse disorder, not just “thievery.” “It’s about compulsion, not intent,” says Dr. Jon Grant, a psychiatrist and kleptomania expert, in a Scientific American piece. “Therapy helps, but slips happen, especially in teens.” Our mom’s son is improving, but his quick hands still snag trinkets—think pens, not TVs. Her heads-up to parents? Smart, legally savvy (disclosure can dodge liability), but it’s backfiring socially.

The blow-up at the Warhammer sesh shows the flip side: kids can be brutal, and parents can’t always hush gossip. She’s not enabling—strict rules like transparent bags prove that—but Reddit’s split. Some see a thief; others see a kid needing better tools. Per a National Institute of Mental Health stat, 0.6% of folks grapple with kleptomania, often facing isolation. Dr. Grant suggests, “Involve him in solutions—let him own it.” Maybe host hangouts at home or brainstorm with his therapist. Readers, how’d you balance honesty and his happiness?

Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

Reddit’s dishing out some fiery takes—here they are:

“He’s a thief, deal with it!” one snaps, while another muses, “Host at your place, Mom!” It’s a tug-of-war between tough love and empathy—do these opinions hit the mark, or miss the nuance? You decide.

So, our mom’s stuck between shielding her son and shielding wallets, with a side of teen angst thrown in. She’s not the bad guy—kleptomania’s the real culprit—but her playbook’s taking hits. Will she tweak her strategy or double down? We’re rooting for a win. What’s your call? Would you spill the beans to parents or keep it hush-hush? Share your take—how do you handle a kid’s quirks without tanking their social cred?