I'm 13, I hate my family and I want to leave.

[ccsmod16]

Re: It's so hard to believe they made me...

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. We are glad that you are reaching out to share your story, and we hope we will be able to offer some assistance or comfort.

It sounds like you have been going through a very difficult time since your parent’s divorce. It’s unfortunate that your father is not very involved in your life. Dealing with your mom’s and your brother’s drug use and how they treat you sounds particularly challenging. Since you cannot rely on your family for support, having others in your life that you can talk to may help you manage this very tough situation. In addition to trusted friends, contacts at school like teachers, counselors or a coach, may be able to offer some assistance or advice about how to deal with your home life. Trying to talk to your father to share how you are feeling could also be an option, if you think he would be receptive.

Finding ways to manage your stress and cope with these problems could also make them easier to handle. Thinking about what helps you relax could help identify ways to cope. You may want to keep a journal or do something artistic or just find a place to be alone away from your mom and brother where you can listen to music or read or something else that helps you feel calm. Taking care of yourself is important, and we are glad you are seeking help.

We would be happy to discuss your situation further or address any specific questions you may have. Please feel free to call our hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) anytime. We are here 24/7 and are happy to help however we can. Take care.

It's so hard to believe they made me...

My life was PERFECT until 12/12/2012. My parents got divorced, I barely see my dad and s*** went crazy. My mom became a pothead and my brother also started smoking, too. Ever since, they've been threatening me to do s*** by saying, "Imma pour this hot coffee on your @$$." My brother wakes me up with his loud @$$ music, and when I'm eating, he always makes sure to gargle his spit. Once I threw up when he did that and my mother yelled at ME. I tried explaining what actually happened, but no matter what, she still takes my brother's side.

[ccsmod15]

RE: Foster Family, Custody problems,Court,Police,School. I HATE LIFE

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have a lot on your mind and some big decisions you’re trying to make. It’s great that you’ve been able to avoid running away for some time.

Your ability to not runaway seems like a sign of your resiliency. You stated that your friend ran away and now you’re having the urge to do so. What is it that has kept you from running away recently? There’s no way to say for sure what might happen should you decide to run away, but from what you’ve stated there’s the chance that you may have to be placed in another city/town. The idea of attending a new school can be stressful, have you talked to anyone about your concerns regarding the new school? Maybe there’s a way you can visit the new school and meet with a counselor or teacher to show you around.

We're sorry to hear your friends and some adults haven’t taken your situation seriously. It can be frustrating when others are not able to understand your situation. Should you decide to leave your current home, are there any adults of relatives that you would be able to stay with? We want to make sure that you are safe should you decide to leave your current home, so please feel free to reach out to us to discuss your situation further. We are here to offer support in many ways and are willing to talk through any plans you may have. Remember that we are here 24/7 and are always here for support.

Best,

NRS

Foster Family, Custody problems,Court,Police,School. I HATE LIFE

I used to run away alot. I haven't for a while but today i was reading a friend of mines post about how she ran away. Now i have the urge to. I have been living with my foster family for 9 weeks and im starting to feel really uncomfortable here. I got exspelled from my school that I loved because i got into a fight because the girl was making fun of so many people including me now i have to start a new school on monday ( Next Monday) and i already hate it. Havent even started. thing is if i run away I might get tooken out of my foster home witch is the only one they could find in burlington and i want to go live back with my mom but if i run away witch is what i really want to do idk what would happen and i dont know what to do? or where to go if i did.? any suggestions and yes ive tried talking to them and the police and my counsalers and friends every one thinks im joking because i havent done it in so long im gonna prove them wrong.

[ccsmod11]

RE: I'm 13, I hate my family and I want to leave

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

It sounds like you are in a stressful situation! Living with family members can be tough, especially when new people are added to the home. From what you say, it sounds like things were good at home when it was just you, your sister, and your grandma, but became stressful with fighting when your uncles moved in. Do you have any friends you talk about this with? Have you tried talking to your grandma about how you feel, especially when your uncle puts you and your sister down?

One option we have here at the National Runaway Safeline is a conference call. We could get you and your grandma on the phone with us at the same time, and we could make sure that you are able to say how you are feeling and come up with a plan together for you to feel better at home. Sometimes it helps to have some support when talking to adults, and we are here to help you if that’s what you want to do.

If you do end up deciding to run away, we want you to know that you can always call us here at 1-800-RUNAWAY at any time of day (we are 24 hours). We are not here to tell you what to do (like go back home, for example), but we do want you safe. We have a computer database of runaway/homeless shelters and could see what is around you so you are not on the street.

Because you talk about drug use and fights within the home, we want to make sure home is a safe place for you to be. If you ever feel unsafe, you can call the police right away to get help. Also, if you feel like your home is not a safe place to live, you have the option of making a report with Child Protective Services (like you mentioned calling foster care). You can make a report by calling Child Help USA at 1800-422-4453. If you do make a report, a CPS worker would most likely come out to the home and do an investigation where everyone in the home will be asked questions. If making a report is something you would like to do, we can make the report with you or for you.

We are here to support you in whatever decision you make. It takes courage and maturity to reach out to us like you have, and we want home to be a safe place for you be (so you can keep trying to do well in school!). We appreciate you contacting us, and hope you will again in the future if needed.

Best,

NRS