15, almost 16, and want to run away for a few days, Australia

[Guest]

i'm almost 16 and i really have been thinking about leaving home to stay at my friends house 2 hours from where i live now for 3 days. My home life is okay, i live with only my mum and my brother, my dad and i are close to reconciling after a year long fight and he lives also where my friend lives 2 hours away. I was planning on leaving in a month just before school break but i really want to leave now. i honestly think these few days would be extremely beneficial so i can gain some independence and take my mind off school and my poor social life after moving away from everything i love. I would be safe and i would ask my father to meet me so i can see him and make up with him while i am there. my only problem is i hate it when my mum and i fight, and i don't want her to worry about me, but she wouldn't let me miss any school days so i don't want to ask her permission to 'run away' but i need to leave now for my sanity. please help me in my decision, should i leave tomorrow or wait until the school break?

[ccsmod10]

Hi and thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you are in a stressful situation, and we’re glad you reached out. We recognize that you’re asking us what you should do, but we are non-directive here meaning we don’t advise people on what decision to make (only you know what’s best for your situation!) Also, we are based in The United States, and are not aware or informed of any Australian laws.

That said, there are a few things that can be considered. What do you think your mom (our version of ‘mum’ in The States would do if she found out you left? Would any consequences be worth whatever time you could spend with your friend before you had to go back? While we don’t tell anyone what to do here, we do want you to consider any potential consequences down the road.

You mentioned that you desire to gain independence, and to take your mind off of school and your social life. Are there ways to do that at home, without running away? If you could identify ways to feel better at home, an option could be to bring these up to your mom and see if she would be willing to compromise.

We are a service located in The United States, but you may find some resources pertinent to Australia here: www.kidshelp.com.au.

Best,

NRS