Im 14 and want to live with my dad

[Guest]

My mom and dad are divorced, my mom is a textbook case narcissist, and we have been to court on charges of child abuse against her. Me and my dad lost the case (this was about two years ago) and I’m just so tired of living here and not seeing my dad. I’m genuinely thinking about running away. I live in Pennsylvania, and I know my mom will fight tooth and nail to get me back so she can continue to get child support. What should I do??

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand that it takes courage to seek help. We are very sorry to hear about the way your mom has been treating you. We have a non-directive policy here at NRS,so we cannot tell you what to do. You are the expert in your own life, you have to do what you think is best. It sounds like you are thinking about running away. Having a plan about where you would go and how you would take care of yourself is important. While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. The easiest way to leave home is with your parent's permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your mom. You could try asking your dad if he is willing to seek legal aid in order to gain custody of you. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options however most states require youth to be at least 16. We hope that this information helps, please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.