Stealing food

The hardest part to being a parent is understanding some of whatever is going on ... and taking in a child, particularly a teenager complicates things all by themselves! Most of the behavoirs you have mentioned are typical in any household with a 14 year old - just more under scrutiny because of this current and past history. As far as meals go - I'm not sure if we will have any college fund left after we feed our 14 year old for the next four years - not only does he eat a full meal at dinner time, he has a "snack" at 7:00 and then will often raid the frig for a Dagwood Bumpstead style sandwich at 9:30 before turning in ... and yes he does have that pudge kids this age get but also gained 3 inches in height in two months - so this eating which us adults often think "excessive" is normal! Best way to combat that is to leave something out at night (or give instructions on what he can and cannot have) - often takes away the need for it ... Just a thought -