I am 15 and i want to go live with my friends family

[Guest]

I am 15 years old and I would like to live with my friends family in Kansas but I'm from Oklahoma could my mom do anything about it

[ccsmod0]

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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
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. This is something to keep in mind if you want to stay with people in Kansas. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' 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 parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I am a 14-year-old girl who finds it very hard to live in her home. I am constantly feeling like I cannot call my own house a home but I am too afraid to tell my dad and my stepmom, I haven't really told anyone but my friend's mom, and I love my father I really do but I can't keep dealing with this. I have been for many years, and recently I have been thinking about getting counseling and maybe distancing myself from my family for a while until I feel like I have become a lot better and ready to return home. MY parents tell me that they know exactly what I am going through because they have been there and they are constantly comparing my childhood to theirs and I keep telling myself that just because I grew up slightly different than them doesn't mean they know exactly everything that I have been going through. And, I plan on talking to my dad about distancing myself but I am afraid of what he might say or the way he might react but the only difference is that I have a few people in mind that I know would accept me into their homes because they have seen what I go through but my number 1 person I really want to live with is my grandmother because she has always been there for me even when my parents weren't, she has always given me advice and she has never let me down, and there has already been a point in my life where my dad was gonna send me to live with her and I don't know why he backed out, but there have been multiple occasions where I was honest and old him I don't want to be here or I told him that I wanted to leave and he told me that it was gonna hurt him to watch me leave and I just believed that me leaving would be the best because of course I wouldn't be gone forever because I have siblings but I just needed a while to myself without having to worry what I am doing wrong and what I might get yelled at about. I am currently on punishment for something that was wrong of me to do and I have already noticed that and I prayed to the lord to help figure out what it is that I need to do and how i can fix my problem and the Lord told me to go to counseling and I am taking his word, so I wrote my dad a letter today (which I plan on giving to him if he won't talk to me today when he gets home from work) that tells him how i have been feeling and how I think it would be best to distance myself for a while and return home when I am ready. Last night, after getting yelled at I had a dream where I had a few friends stay the night and I got up in the middle of the night to go get food with one of them and I was telling the others what I and the other friend were doing and one of them looked at me possessed and told me they were a kid from the other side and he wanted to kill me, so my friend and I ran to my dad who was still awake and tried to tell my dad everything and he said he didn't care even when I mentioned that they wanted to kill me he still didn't care and at the end of the dream the demon got me and I woke up terrified and shaking and I was so afraid that one day something bad was gonna happen to me and my dad wasn't gonna care. I'm starting to feel like I'm not enough and I never will be but I am constantly reminding myself that I have a purpose. Can, you please tell me what I should do and how I should handle my situation?

[ccsmod15]

Hey there,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you feel oppressed at home and are worried about how your father treats you and how genuinely he may care for you. It is understandable to feel freaked out after a bad dream like that and want some comfort about the situation. It seems like you are being really thoughtful about the situation and want to make a plan that gives you the best chance at finding a more comfortable solution. It seems like your parents are trying to be supportive of you and make your feelings feel validated when they say things like they know exactly how you feel but that it just serves to make it feel worse instead.
Counseling does seem like an option that might help. A personal counselor for you, or a family-based counselor to see if your parents are maybe able to change their actions or perspective a bit to be more helpful for you. We do have a database that includes counseling resources that we could help you to find one in your area if you wanted. You also mentioned that you pray as well, if you do attend church regularly there might be help that the pastor could assist with mediating or giving helpful tips for your parents on your behalf.
Your letter also seems like a great idea to be able to share your feelings if your dad isn’t up for listening verbally. At the very least writing down your thoughts can be cathartic and help you to sort out your feelings and make sense of them a bit more. We also offer Conference Calling mediation services if you wanted to talk to him on the phone with a mediator there to help keep things on track and focused on positive results.
We are always here to listen and support you if you want to talk more. You mentioned you felt like you might never be enough, but I challenge you to ask enough for whom? The only person that needs to be happy with you is you. Your parents should be there to support you and help you grow into the person that you feel comfortable being. That doesn’t always look like the same thing for each person, and if you never fully figure out what you want to be there are plenty of others in the same position. We encourage you to reach out to talk more by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat online at www.1800runway.org.
Good Luck,
NRS.

[Guest]

Hello, thank you so much for giving me some advice on that, it means a lot to me. Over, the last four days I have been feeling kinda upset but I never really said anything, my dad has been very nice recently but I am afraid of how long that might actually last. I have been thinking recently about talking to my dad not only about counseling but also about letting me distance myself and to go stay with another family member for a while at least until I get my head straight. It's not that I don't like being at home, it's that I just feel like I am being too repetitive on mu bad decisions like I know that they are wrong but I still end up making them and I think that is because I have 5 other siblings which are all younger than me and I don't always get the attention I want/need and the only attention I did get is the attention when I am in trouble but that's not the attention I want, I want the attention where they are proud of me or the attention when I make them laugh. I feel so useless in my own home like I have mentioned before I feel like I cannot call my house a home, I feel so uneasy in my home, compared to when I am at another family member's house I have so much fun, I laugh with them and we have full-on conversations and I also have people to talk to, I don't get any of that at home. Like, with my grandmothers, for example, every time I go over there I feel free to be who I am and do what I love and even talk about anything on my chest and I am very comfortable with talking to her about anything because every since my real mother left when I was 3 months old sh has been there, she is not only my grandmother but she is the mother I never had and my true best friend. And, it's the same thing with one of my aunts and uncles, they make me feel so loved like they always remind how much they love and care for me and there was even a time when they were gonna have me live with them for a while but that never told me what happened. I just feel like I need to go somewhere else for a while to wrap my head around straight and then I will return home when I am ready. It's nothing my parents did wrong it's something I am doing wrong and I want to fix it so it doesn't happen again. I know, that being a teenage girl isn't easy but to be honest, I don't think it should be this hard either, no matter where I go I walk around thinking "Am I gonna get yelled at for doing this?" because I am so scared of being yelled at I have to watch my every move and every step or else who knows how it will turn out. I know, it might seem like I am being dramatic but really I am not, this is one of the only places I can really speak my mind. I really want to go stay with my grandmother or my aunt and uncle for a while until I can get myself figured out and get the help I need but I am really worried to talk to my dad about it because I am scared that he won't understand anything or he won't be willing to listen. My grandmother, aunt, and uncle have always been the ones there when I needed them the most and they always tell me that I am welcome over anytime or if I ever needed a place to go I could always go to them and I never thought that I would need to take that offer but now here I am really hoping that offer is still open, but I'm not really sure. Every morning I wake up hoping that something good will happen but something in my head causes me to think that I am not good enough for something good to happen to me and I end up believing that. I had this dream last night and it was of this bottle and it was just overflowing and I was just crying and the more the bottle overflowed the more I would cry and I knew that was a representation of my feelings and how I just push them deep down inside and when too much has come to me it overflows and I just start crying and my day is ruined but that only happens when I don't express how I feel to a trusted adult. I feel so closed off from the world like I am just in this bubble and everyone around gets to go live their life but that's not what I want, I want to live my childhood and go out and have fun and live my life before it's too late. Do you think it would be a good idea to distance myself and go stay with another family member until I get better and when I feel like I am ready I can return home? Please tell me what I should do.

(P.S. I tried the link "www.1800runaway.org" and it didn't work).

[ccsmod15]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline again. We are glad to hear that things have improved a bit, but want to honor that you still feel troubled at home. We commend you for reaching out to us—it takes perseverance.

It sounds like you are considering talking to Dad about leaving home to go stay with another family member. This is good—sometimes we just need space from home life, and you definitely have a lot going on at home. We always encourage young people who are considering leaving home to think about how they will get to where they are going and what they will do to survive once there. It sounds like in your case, you have solid ideas for a good, stable place to live. The next step seems to be talking to Dad about it, as this is a crucial part of figuring out how you will get there. Talking to Dad means the difference between arranging for an alternative living situation with consent and running away without consent. Of course, you can do whichever you feel is best for you. There will be some consequences to consider around running away, like the police becoming involved if Dad calls them. You will never be arrested for running away, but it’s possible the police can bring you back home.

If you feel like you can talk to Dad, this would be a good way to avoid police involvement. We would love to help you with this. If you ever want to reach out to us at 1-800-RUN-AWAY or you can instant message with us by going to 1800runaway.org and clicking “Chat,” we are available 24/7. We also have an amazing service called Conference Calling, through which we help organize and mediate a conference call between you and your parent. We can help you voice your needs in a healthy and productive way to Dad. If this sounds interesting to you, just call or instant message us to initiate it.
We thank you for reaching out again, and wish you all the luck on your journey. We are always here to listen, here to help. Please consider us a friend in your times of need.

Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I am turning 15 next month on the 16th, and need a way out of this house as soon as possible. I live in Texas. My mom is my legal guardian. I am constantly being yelled at and told I am not helpful. I try very hard to do my best in school and in sports and vacuum the whole down stairs of my house almost every day. When I try to tell my mom how I feel, but she always makes up an excuse for it and changes the subject. I am emotionally unstable, and have ADHD and dyslexia. I am also bullied by my 17 year old brother. I am very stressed and get headaches every day because of it. I have a best friend I want to live with who lives 2 hours and 58 minutes away from me. Her family is very kind ans accepting. Her whole family including her cousins say I am apart of they're family. I need supportive people in my life right now, I am tired of crying all night, tired of not being respected, tired of "not being enough", or "not doing enough". Another issue is when I try to talk to my dad about being anxious ( I have bad anxiety) he starts to argue with me. ( my parents are divorced and have been for many years by the way). I feel emotionally abused. I need a way out, I cant wait 3 more years till I'm 18, I need out now! The stress, the pain, the anxiety, the depression, I can't take it by myself, I need my best friend and her family, they are willing to take me, but I feel trapped, my mom would never allow me to live there. Is there any way I can get permission to live with my best friend and her family? It world literally mean the world to me.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
You mentioned experiencing emotional abuse which may be reportable against your family. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. Unfortunately, emotional abuse is often harder to provide evidence for compared to physical abuse which is often what CPS relies on when conducting an abuse investigation. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453 or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.
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. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by forum to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail 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.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am a 15 year old living with my mom and step Dad. My mom has been with him since I was 1 in a half. I’m kind of forced to call him Dad but I don’t want to and my real dad is in jail tell the end of this year or the beginning of next year. But I have been feeling very unsafe and uncomfortable in my own home and my step dad has been getting really mad lately and my mom want to divorce him but then again she doesn't want to because she wants to wait and until she gets a better job and goes to college to get the job she wants but my step dad is starting to make me really depressed and I wake up thinking " am I ever going to be good enough for him" and he has started to be slightly physically abusive word’s my youngest brother (5) and very verbally abusive word’s my younger brother (9) and I've been wanting to leave for a long time now I've tried to run away at one point but was returned home after being dropped off at my middle school by my friends mom. And I have not attempted again and I want to live with my real dad but I have to wait til he gets out. And he's actually a good man but he make's bad decisions when drunk so he will hopefully get help with that and I can live with him. Cps was called yesterday but the case was dropped because there was no proof of anything but I really want to go stay with relatives but I can't due to my nervousness and anxiety and I really want help out but I can't find the courage to do so. Pls, pls, pls help me.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We are really sorry that you are going through what sounds like a difficult time at home with your step dad. You nor anyone else deserves to be abused in any way. It is not your fault that these things are happening. Even though CPS did not open a case the last time they came out, should there be any times that you don’t feel safe or abuse takes place another report can be filed. It might be helpful to have proof. For example: pictures of any marks, whelps or bruises. Audio recordings of verbal threats or abusive language could be presented as evidence.

You are not alone.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. 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 9-1-1 and seek emergency assistance immediately.


Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, this is mostly for my friend. She wants to move to my house and away from her mother but she’s only 15. She has a little brother and a mom, but her dad died a few years ago just like mine. Her mom hasn’t been helping her with her stress and has only made it worse. She never lets my friend hang out hardly, she is always really mean and yells at her 24/7, she’s even pinned her in a corner and repeatedly hit her head as my friend was screaming for her to leave her alone. And yes, I have permission to say all this. Her brother is also really young and constantly annoys her and seems to always enjoy getting her yelled at or grounded. He also has her mother force her to do things for him as well. She is basically the one raising him at this point, she has to bathe him every night even though he is 10, she has to make him food, clean his room, build his legos for him, and all she does is get yelled at for it. Is there actually a way she can move in with me? My moms really kind and she takes good care of us. We also have a ton of room for her so she would be in good hands.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on with your friend, we know that it takes a lot of courage. It must be really hard for her to live in a home with so much tension. It's great to see that you are such a support for your friend and that you're advocating for it, you must care a lot about her. We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if she does opt to leave your home her mom can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and she is located by the authorities she will most likely be returned home.

You mentioned some things about her mom hitting her in the head and it raises concern for her safety and well-being. Absolutely no one deserves to be abused. If she is currently at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you or her to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, she has the right to report it. If she feels like this is an option she wants to explore, she may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help her file a report if that’s the route she is considering. It may also be a good idea to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.

If you or your friend like to go over what’s going on in depth, or explore other options that she may have available to her, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. She can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support her in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

Im 14 and i dont want to live with my mom she fights with boyfriend all the time and doesn't have a job so every comes from child support i want to live with my boyfriend's parents they are supported and help me out and they show they care for me but my mom wont give me permission to live with then she doesn't want me to leave till im 18 and i just cant with the stuff over here i cant go to my other parts of my family because my moms brother girlfriend was abuse when i was younger so i dont trust her and i cant live with my dad because hes not in the picture and hes way to far and my grampa is living with us

[ccsmod0]

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. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options. It seems you want to know some information on runaway laws.
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. This is something to consider if you want to stay with your boyfriend's parents. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.
The easiest way to leave home is with your mom'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. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 turning 16 in around 6 months, not to long ago I received the news that I'm will be moving schools an house, this really hurts me cause I hate moving, I have been isolating my self from my family ever since I heard the news, not being happy, had tantrum (throwing things across my room) and my mental health as gone really bad, the school I will be moving doesn't have the subject I need the most and my parents are forcing me to choose subjects I hate, I don't know what to do, I really don't want to leave considering I'm going to be in grade 11 and I find no point for me to leave the school I love, teachers and friends have help me so much and I don't want to lose it, my friend has offer me her place but I'm not sure what to do.

[ccsmod15]

Hello –

Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes great courage to reach out. We are sorry to hear about your situation. It is never easy to move, especially in high school, away from friends and teachers you care about.

It sounds like you are very self-aware of your situation and how it is affecting you. As a result, the best decision may be to have an honest sit-down talk with your parents about how you feel and what your options are going forward. They may be unaware the stress and anxiety this move is causing you. If you would like, we can be there as a support system for you. We offer a conference call service that is a moderated conversation between you, a member of the NRS, and your parents. In this conversation you set the guidelines and goals in order to have a productive conversation that can improve your situation.

To learn more about your options, or if you just need someone to talk to, give us a call 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be toll-free reached at the number listed above. We are confidential, anonymous, and non-direct. We can also be reached via live chat anytime.

Best Wishes

~NRS

[Guest]

Writing this for my girlfriend. Gonna keep it short and sweet. She’s 15. Her step dad is abusive and regularly hits her but she refuses to report it. She wants to runaway and plans to do so very soon, to her friend who has agreed that he’d harbor her. As her parents would never allow this, she doesn’t want to ask them for their permission. Does them being abusive change the situation? She also does not want to move across the country to her other living relatives. I should also add her father constantly degrades her calling her a useless disappointment and is a known drunk. I don’t think I’m signed up for this website or something so if you could reply to***.

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us here at NRS. It sounds like your girlfriend is planning on running away and you want to know more about what the consequences could be. While we are not legal experts we can speak generally on this. If your girlfriend leaves home without permission, her parents can report her as a runaway to the police. Running away is not illegal, but it is a status offense. This basically means her parents can ask police to return her home if she is found. In the event the police do attempt to return her home, she does have the option to tell police she does not feel safe at home and why. Unfortunately this does not necessarily mean police would let her stay with a friend. Police are supposed to report to child protective services and allow them to do an investigation before returning a young person back to a dangerous situation.

If you have any more questions or would like to talk more about your girlfriend's possible options, please do not hesitate to reach out again. We are available 24/7 by phone 1-800-786-2929 and through live chat 1800runaway.org.

-NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I am 14 years old and I wanna live with my best friend or live with my mom. I have lived with my dad and his side of the family for almost 3 years now and last year the summer of 2019 i ran away from home but i got returned back to my dad and I tried to tell the police I don't wanna go back but they didn't listen whatsoever. When I came back from running away I started to self harm and started to go mentally insane, but I don't self harm anymore. Every day I am at my dads I always get grounded for the stupidest ******** ever for instance forget to get some waters out one night and I got grounded for a week. I am going a little insane being here and I don't know what to do, all I wanna do is get away from my dad and his family. I cant stay here anymore or I will go insane to the point I lose my mind. Can you help me please?

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing a bit about the difficult time you are having at home right now. You definitely are in a rough spot, but you do have options. We'd like to help in whatever way we can.

First, we are glad to hear you aren't self-harming anymore. But just so you have it, here is a great website that talks about self-harm and how you can stay safe and deal with feelings without hurting yourself: www.twloha.com. We encourage you to take a look! Another great site that deals with mental health issues is www.nami.org (1-800-950-6264 or text NAMI to 741741).

Generally speaking, there are three ways to leave home without being considered a runaway: 1) get your parent's permission to live elsewhere, 2) file a child abuse report that leads to your being placed elsewhere by the state, 3) go through the court system to look into a change of guardianship to your mother or file for emancipation. Note that in most states you have to be 16 to file for emancipation.

If you chat or call us we can look into legal aid resources that might be able to help. Or we can see if there are other options. You can chat with us via our website (www.1800runaway.org) or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are confidential, don't judge, and are here 24/7. We hope to hear from you soon!

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I’m 16 and I want to move out.
My parents are to much to handle I’ve tried to off my self a couple times because of my mom. I can’t have my own opinions and someone is always controlling my life. I just got caught with something I wasn’t aloud to have and I’m Probably going yo lose everything I own. My family hates her and thinks she’s on crack for some reason and I got in trouble for being in the same room as her but her and her mom said I can move in with them as soon as I can. I just want to get out of here it’s toxic and I honestly scared of not only losing everything but getting hit. It’s not a normal thing but I’m honestly terrified. I’ve been threatened with a metal rib Patel before and when I was little locked in dark rooms. I’m also made fun of for everything I like I’m not aloud to watch anime there homophobic And I’m bisexual and they kinda force me to wear “preppy” clothes that I’m not comfortable in. I’ve been fat shamed and told I’m ok when I’m really not it’s just 16 of bull******** that’s been building up and I snapped at a good friend for acting like my mom and treating me like ******** and I really regret it. But I need to know how I can get out of here and to my friends house without my parents consent

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

We are glad you have reached out to the National Runaway Safeline, and are sorry to hear that things at home with your Mom have been so difficult. We hope we can be of some help to you today.
It sounds like things at home between you and your Mom are really hard. You have definitely experienced emotional abuse, and it’s important you know that this is not okay. You deserve to be respected for who you are. Sometimes reaching out to a trusted other family member or friend or their parents can help you get some support in the face of this abuse.

If you are ever seriously considering suicide, there is help out there. You can always reach out to us at 1800-RUN-AWAY to talk through things, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be an excellent resource for people in the hardest of moments. They can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. For an LGBT-specific suicide intervention resource, you can call The Trevor Project at any time by dialing 1-866-488-7386. You may also find it helpful to reach out to chat resources like the LGBT National Youth Talkline at 1-800-246-7743 or the LGBT National Hotline at 1-888-843-4564. These people know intimately about the LGBT experience and can help you through some of the troubles that come from living in a homophobic home.

It sounds like mostly you want to run away. 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. 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. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

We hope some of this information helps you improve your situation. If you ever want to call us, we would love to talk through your options, including running away. We are always here to listen, here to help.

Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I am only 15 and I want to live with my friends can I just walk out without my parents knowing and can I get in trouble for living with my friend without parents permission

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. It sounds like there may be a lot of other issues going on at home and your wanting to live somewhere else seems like a good solution to you. There are a couple of things to consider especially since you are only 15. You do need your parent’s permission to live somewhere else and technically they would still be responsible for you unless they make a legal arrangement to have another adult be your guardian. If you just left, your parents may file a runaway report and if you wind up interacting with the police, they would be required to bring you home to your parents unless that is an unsafe situation. It is unlikely that your friends would be held criminally responsible for giving you a place to stay as a runaway. There may be other options we can discuss with you that might better fit your needs and situation. We are a non-directive agency and totally confidential. That means that we help you come up with a plan that works for you with the resources available in your area. You can contact us 24/7 on our hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat through our website.

Good luck,
NRS

[Guest]

My best friend is 13 and is in a bad situation that I can't get her out of since she's a minor. What do I do?

[ccsmod15]

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 and your friend through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. 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

[Guest]

Im 15 my family are all very negative, my parents constantly yell at me and i dont feel safe being home cause my dad hits my mom

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for reaching out to NRS we know you are going through a really hard situation and we appreciate you trusting us with your story. From what we understand it seems like the home you are currently in can be very hard to live in. It seems like your dad is probably the most violent in the household. We are sorry that this type of abuse is going on and that you feel unsafe in your home. Something that really stood out to us is that your mom seems to be hit by your dad. Please know that you have every right to call the police or report that with us here at NRS. Hitting anyone is wrong and should not be happening to you or your immediate family. Options that you might have with getting help is maybe talking about the situation with a teacher or counselor at school. Even if you are online you can try and request you speak with them privately and let them know what's going on. Another person you could try and talk to is your mom. Get talking with her about how you feel and maybe come up with a plan about leaving the house and getting to safety away from your dad. Your mom might be afraid to but you can always refer her to us or even call 911 with her to get help. Know that doig any of this requires alot of bravery and sometimes it can feel a bit scary to report. Please know we can report alongside you on our hotline: (800-786-2929) or online through our chat at :1800runaway.org. We are here to help and we want to make sure you get the help you need to get out of a dangerous situation like that.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I’m currently 13, turning 14 next year quite soon (in April) and I live in Malaysia.
I have a good family and wonderful friends and a stable life at first glance, but I am crumbling. My parents are legal and biological, I don’t have any older siblings. I’ve been supposedly depressed last year, but I’m too scared to come out and say it because I’ve received backlash for self-diagnosing, and my father isn’t home most of the time so I have to tell my mother, but if I do, she’ll scold me and say “What’s wrong with you” and tell me to be grateful that I have a good life. I have no problem with my dad except the lack of communication between us, thus making me reluctant to tell him my problems. I have more problems with my mother. She is threatening to take away my privileges (drawing, using the iPad to do digital art, posting, communicating with friends online, playing) because I was rude to her(responding like “I’ll finish when I finish” even though she answers me like that too) I hate it a lot. Drawing is the only thing I’ve got going for me and I can only communicate with my friends online since I do not have a phone. I can’t tell me dad because of the lack of communication and I’m reluctant to confront my mother, because I’m scared she’ll call it disrespect and ungratefulness. I feel like I shouldn’t be feeling like this, since I am fed well and not physically hurt, but I don’t know how much longer I can go and at this point I am genuinely desperate for help and comfort. Is there anyway I can move out at the age of 13 without getting in trouble? I know a few friends who are willing to take me, but I don’t think their parents will be and I’m afraid I’ll be a burden. So many other people here have much more to go through and I feel bad for doing this. I’m so sorry for the long story.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. If you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: https://www.childhelplineinternation...pline-network/.

We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

Be safe,
NRS