Tweet
My parents treat me really unfairly compared to my older brother and my younger sister. I'm 15(sophomore) They never appreciate anything that I do right. They only focus on the bad stuff. My two other siblings get all of the good attention while i'm over here getting yelled at. A week ago they got pissed at me because I'm dating this guy. We have been dating almost a year and half and they wanted to force a break up between us. They took away all of the stuff he gave me and they also took away my phone and they won't let me stay after school or go anywhere with anyone. They also said that they never wanted to see me with him again. I'm tired of being treated so poorly. What should I do?
-
-
Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. From what we gather about your story it might be a good idea to speak with an adult who you feel comfortable around and can speak with them about the situation. They can help advocate for your situation since your parents might listen to an adult instead of not hearing you out. We also offer conference calls to help you communicate what you want to say. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS
-
-
well im 10 and my mom hates me i sure she dosent love or want me anymore and im thinkg i should run away i already pack and i dont fell loved or safe around her what should i doComment
-
Thank you for reaching out to us and telling us your story. It sounds like you are going through a very difficult time right now and we hope to be able to help. We are sorry to hear that you do not feel loved or safe at home. You should not have to go through that. Running away is a big decision and it can be hard to figure out what to do. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police.
What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. A good way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.
If you don’t feel safe and feel like you need to get away Nationalsafeplace.org provides a safe location for you to meet a staff member who can take you to a designated place where you can discuss all options about how to stay safe. You can text 44357 the word “safe,” and your location to find a safe location in your area. Once you arrive let someone who works there know you need help connecting with a staff member.
One service we can offer is to conference call with your parents. This way you could have a conversation with your parents but you would not be alone. For example, it may be hard for you to explain to your mom why you feel like she hates you and how it is affecting you and making you think about running away. Sometimes those conversations go better in a conference call because we can advocate for you. If you want to reach us, you can chat with us anytime at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We’re here 24/7, and we are ready to listen and help however we can.
-
-
I'm 15 years old and majority of the time I can't stand my parents. All they do is yell and argue and my dad calls me names while I'm never good enough for my mother. Its like she has to "win" every conversation. Like who does that? And everyday I wake up im not sure how my parents are going to act and its so frustrating because I cant live up to their standard or more like my mothers. Shes always telling me I need to work out more or try harder and she always ALWAYS compares me to my friends and then gets mad when i tell her i dont like that. Im at the point where i think that leaving would be the best but I dont want to ruin my volleyball stuff. I mean i am sick thinking about all of this stuff living with my parents stresses me out so much i wanna vomit.Comment
-
Thanks so much for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and it’s understandable that you’d be thinking about leaving a stressful environment.
No one deserves to be called names or put down. And being compared to others is hurtful. Emotional abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. If you think your parents’ behavior could be emotional abuse, you have the right to report the abuse to the authorities. You can tell a teacher or counselor at school, call police, or call Child Help, an anonymous 24/7 hotline like NRS, at 1-800-422-4453. They can answer your questions about the process and make a report over the phone.
Sometimes it can be a big relief just to put things into words and get things off your chest. It might be a good idea to think about finding someone you can talk to, like a counselor or another adult you trust, about how things have been at home for you. They might even be able to mediate a conversation with your parents about ways they can make things easier for you at home. We’re happy to help you find resources like counseling in your area at 1-800-786-2929. At NRS, we offer a conference call service where a volunteer mediates a call between a youth and their parents to make sure everyone is respectful and has a chance to be heard. If you want to learn more or give it a try, you can give us a call any time. Another idea is journaling, or writing your parents a letter about how you’ve been feeling. Sometimes people are more willing to hear what you have to say when it’s written down.
It shows how strong you are that even in such a stressful situation, you are researching all your options and reaching out for help. If you’d like to talk more about your situation or brainstorm other options, we are here for you 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929
-
-
Im about to turn 12 tomorrow and i can't handle my parents i am so close to runnuing away or killing myself i need to go live with my friends can iComment
-
Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out! We appreciate you seeking help during this difficult.
To begin with, you mentioned that you’re about to turn 12 tomorrow, and that whatever is going on at home is driving you to run away, or kill yourself. We want you to know that we take suicide very seriously, and if for whatever reason you are feeling like you might hurt yourself, you can reach out to the national suicide prevention hotline at 1800) 273-8255. If you want to talk to someone else in about what’s going on at home, you may reach out to the NAMI organization to talk at 1800) 950-6264.
Running away is a big decision and it can be hard to figure out what to do. 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. If you don’t feel safe and feel like you need to get away Nationalsafeplace.org provides a safe location for you to meet a staff member who can take you to a designated place where you can discuss all options about how to stay safe. You can text 44357 the word “safe,” and your location to find a safe location in your area. Once you arrive let someone who works there know you need help connecting with a staff member.
One service we can offer is to conference call with your parents. This way you could have a conversation with your parents but you would not be alone. For example, it may be hard for you to explain to your mom why you feel like she hates you and how it is affecting you and making you think about running away. Sometimes those conversations go better in a conference call because we can advocate for you. If you want to reach us, you can chat with us anytime at 1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We’re here 24/7, and we are ready to listen and help however we can.
-
Comment