I'm 12 and I want to run Away.

[Guest]

Hi i’m 12 years old.

My dad yells at me a lot and my mom tries to purposely get me to fight with her just so she has something to do. I want to run away for a few days so i can show them that they need to calm down and so i can get a little vacation from them. I can’t run to a friends house because they would get caught. Where do i stay? What do i do? Help me!

[ccsmod16]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today! It sounds like home is really stressful with a lot of yelling and fighting and you are wanting to get away from it for a bit. We are glad you reached out for help before you left.
In most states you have to be 18 to leave home without permission so if you leave before that, your parents could file what is called a runaway report with police. It isn’t a crime, you wouldn’t go to jail, but if the police find you, they will take you back home.
You mentioned not being able to stay with friends and not knowing where to go. That is definitely a big concern! It can be really scary being on your own if you don’t have a place to stay. That is something you may want to consider. How will you get food? Clothes? Get to school on time?
One option is to ask your parents if there is someone (friend, family member, neighbor) you could stay with for a little while to let things calm down at home. If you want help talking to your parents, we can call out to them with you. We are here 24/7 so call us anytime and let us know if you want to do a conference call…1-800-786-2929.
You may also be able to talk to a guidance counselor or teacher at school about all the fighting at home. It sounds like you live in a really stressful environment and it makes sense that you want to get away from it all for a little bit.
We are here to help you and to listen. Call us 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 or live chat with us on our website 4:30-11:30pm Central time every day.
Thanks for reaching out and we wish you all the best!

[Guest]

I'm 13 about to be 14 and am planing on running away this Monday my dad smacked me across the face twice and I'm constantly getting beat for small things like dishes and showers please help me find some where to go

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you’ve been going through a lot lately. Know that you do not deserve to be hit or beaten, especially in your home where you should feel safe. There are people you can talk to if you ever want to talk about your dad hitting you. You can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), or the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
If you ever would like to file a report with Child Protective Services about this, you can call us or the police to help you through this process. This can be an intimidating process, but may help your living environment be safer for you.
It may be helpful to think about where you might run away to. Our primary concern is your safety, so want to make sure you go somewhere safe or with someone you know who you feel comfortable with. Another thing you may want to consider is that whoever you stay with can be charged with harboring a runaway, if your parents or the police want to press charges.
If you would like to leave home, we can definitely help find a shelter in your area. To get shelter referrals, give us a call. It may be helpful to know that most shelters will require parent or state notification if a 13 year old shows up to stay there. This doesn’t mean they will turn you away, but just that they need to contact someone that you are there.
Please call if you would like to talk about your situation further. We wish you the best of luck.
-NRS

[Guest]

I’m 11 and I want to run away, my mom is always yelling at me and she is always mean. She fakes around others but always is mean to me! She lets all her anger out on me, her boyfriend is a jerk too. He has no patience and is mean in general. My mom and dad are separated so I’ve thought about running away to his house, I’m there every weekday and every weekend I text him about how I hate my moms house! He is nice and calm also, I really do love him. My brother is with my mom so I figured I could stay at my grandmas so I could visit with them.

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thanks so much for reaching out. It sounds like you’re having a difficult time at home with your mom and her boyfriend. That must be very frustrating and it’s brave of you to reach out for support. Since you are a minor (meaning you are under 1, you need permission to leave home without your mom or dad’s permission. If your dad is also your legal guardian, you should be able to stay with him if he’s comfortable with it. You might consider reaching out to your dad to ask if that’s okay with him. It sounds like you might also be able to stay with your grandma, which is great. It’s also an option to try to work things out with your mom. If you need help talking with your mom and trying to figure out a solution, we can help you have that conversation. Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. Best of luck to you and stay safe!

[Guest]

Hello there. My name is ***** and I feel insulted. I'm 12 years old and I really need help!


I started 6th grade last year and kinda screwed up a bit, but still made. Now I'm in 7th and I feel horrible. In 6th grade, I was missing a couple of assignments and had C's and more C's. I worked as hard as I could, but my parents said their is no way that I was going to pass 6th grade. They told me I would be a failure. They said I would be a bum (a homeless man on the street.) But look at me now. I'm in 7th grade and this is still happening. I feel so insulted and upset about what my parents say about me.

I have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) which means I don't focus at school very much. I make people laugh and get in a little trouble, but I still try to do my work. However, if I have 1 missing assignment in my class, my parents get all upset at me and call my stupid, bum and lots of other names (including retard.) I felt so insulted and decided to take 3 depression tests. I got result and they all say severe depression. When I saw this, I was very upset. I cried and felt very embarrassed. My parents also took my phone away, so I can't tell my friends. I also don't want to tell my parents because they may say something like, "that's your fault!" or maybe even, "why do we even bother."

I have no phone, so there's no other way I can talk to anybody except through email on my school computer. I'm really stressed out and insulted by my family.

[ccsmod7]

Hi there!

Looks like you chatted with us after posting this. Thank you so much for reaching out via chat so we could best help. Please do not hesitate to chat us again if you ever need, or call if you are ever able to get to a phone.

We are here for you, and we believe in you!

Best of luck,

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 11and want to run away. Me,my friend, and bf were talking about it. My parents are soon to be divorced, my other friend is mad at me, everyone keeps saying I'm depressed, I'm sick of this world, and just want to get out of here. I know my situation doesn't seem bad but it's like no one understands me and I just wanna run

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We appreciate you sharing a little bit about what is going on. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation and it can be tough when you feel that no one understands you. And getting some space is a normal feeling.

It’s great that you have some friends and your boyfriend to support you through this time of divorce and life, it can be difficult to know how to respond and there is going to be a lot of changes that will happen or already happening. We would also encourage you to explore things that can get you through times where you are feeling down. Sometimes people talk to others, writing in a journal, making art, or joining some clubs at school.

If you do ever get to a point where you feel like you are in danger to yourself our others please call out to us or your local police at 911. We can best support you if you call into us directly at 1-800-RUNAWAY or access our website and link to our chat when it’s available. You are not alone in this and we are here to listen. Stay strong.

-NRS

[Guest]

Hi i'm just bothered at school and i'm an emotional mess, I've thought about running away since 5th grade and have nearly ran away until someone caught me
plz help

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We are very sorry to hear that you are bothered at school, and having a hard time emotionally. Talking to someone you trust such as a teacher or school counselor about what you are going through could help. You mentioned that you have thought about running away. Having a plan about where you would go and how you would take care of yourself is important. If you decide to runaway from home, your family has the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, if the police find you they would return you home. Running away is not against the law but if you decide to stay with a friend they could get in trouble for harboring a runaway. You could try asking your family if they would allow you to stay with another family member or close friend. If you feel unsafe at home, you could contact Child Protective Services. Another option that you may want to consider is looking into emancipation laws for your state. We hope that this information helps, if you have any other questions or just need to talk please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929), email, or live chat.

[Guest]

I'm 11 years old and I want to run away. I just feel this way because life is boring an there are so many things I can't do because my parents say so. I'm planning to run away as soon as I turn 13 so I can actually go live my life. My best friend try's to stop me but I won't let her. I told her I wanted to go out and get pregnant and the age of 14 and she still wouldn't let me. I asked my sister for help but she just denys everything. Their trying to help but I won't let them and idk what to do

[ccsmod6]

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). I’m sorry to hear that you are not feeling comfortable at home. Running away as a minor (under1 is a big deal so it’s really smart that you are reaching out for advice and support.
In most states, you are considered to be an adult once you turn 18. We are not legal experts at NRS but if you decide to leave home before you are 18, your parents could file a runaway with the police. Once a report is filed, the police will search for you and take you back home if they find you.
You mentioned that you want to do things that your parents won’t let you do and that you are feeling bored with life. You might want to consider sharing your feelings with an adult you trust who knows your parents and understands your home situation like a grandparent, aunt, or uncle. I’ve also included information on a couple of organizations that provide emotional support for kids. It might be helpful to contact them to find help in your local area:
Teen Line

https://teenlineonline.org

(310) 855-4673 (available from 6pm-10pm Pacific Time every night)
TEXT: 839863 (available from 6pm-10pm Pacific Time every night)
Crisis Call Center Agency

https://www.crisiscallcenter.org

(800) 273-8255 or (775) 784-8090 (available 24/7 every day)

The most important thing for you to consider before leaving home is that you have a safe place to stay and that you have enough money to pay for living expenses. Life on the streets as a kid can be really dangerous.

We take calls 24 hours a day/7 days a week and we’d be glad to speak to you to learn more about your situation and determine how else we might be able help you.

Take care.

[Guest]

Hi I am 12 years old and I want to run away, because I get bullied alot at school, and I selfhate and a lot of times I think about suicide, I DONT what's going on with me, I love my family and all, and I DONT want to hurt my mom, but I always think about running away, to runaway to do something that I have always wanted to I DONT know, become a young singer or young actress, to go somewhere far like NYC, but not forever, I just DONT know what to do.

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to us here at National Runaway Safeline. We are very sorry to hear that you are being bullied at school. You could try talking to someone that you trust at the school such a teacher or school counselor about the bullying. (www.stopbullying.gov) is a great webiste that you could check out for more information about how to stop bullying. You mentioned that you have thought about suicide, your life matters. You are not alone, talking to someone about how you feel could help. The experts at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) are available to talk 24 hours a day .

You mentioned that you have thought about running away. Having a plan about where you would go and how you would take care of yourself is important. If you decide to leave runaway, your mom has the right to file a runaway report. With a runaway report, if the police find you they would return you home. Running away is not illegal but, if you decide to stay with a friend they could get in trouble for harboring a runaway. You could try asking your mom if she would allow you to stay with another family member or close friend. Please feel free to contact us directly via our 24 hour crisis hotline (1-800-786-2929) if you have any additional questions or just need to talk.

[Guest]

Hi im 10 years old and i am being abused by my mom.I am planning to run away at night and go to bridgeport since my uncle lives their.I am trying to save up but the bus ticket is 60 dollars.What should i do?

[ccsmod5]

Hey,
Thanks for reaching out. No one ever deserves to be abused and it’s not okay that your mother has put you in this position. You deserve to be loved, cherished, and supported. It sounds like you’re planning on leaving home and that you do have a plan for where you’ll go, which is great. We’re not legal experts ,but we can try to give you some options and help as much as we can.
First, you mentioned that you’re being abused by your mother. Again, no one ever deserves that and it makes sense that you would want to remove yourself from an unsafe situation. We want to let you know that if you are being abused, you have the right to file an abuse report to let child protective services know what’s going on. You can do that a couple ways. First, you can confide in a teacher or any other adult at school about what’s happening with your mom; any person who works at school would be legally required to report any abuse they hear about. You can also call your local police and let them know, as well. Another option is to call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453; this hotline can help you make an abuse report and can also tell you what the outcome might be if you do make a report.
You mention that you want to run away to stay with your uncle. So you know, if you leave without your parents’ permission, they would have the right to file a runaway report and if the police find you they may return you home. Any adult you stay with may be charged with something called “harboring a runaway.” However, since there is abuse involved, you can let the police know what’s been going on if they find you and they are supposed to investigate that situation.
All of that being said, there are some things you might want to consider if you do decide to leave. You mention that you want to take a bus to your uncle’s place; since you are a minor, it is very unlikely that the bus will allow you on without an adult. Another option might be to call your uncle and ask him to pick you up. If you know any other family or friends who have a car, they may also be able to give you a ride to your uncle’s place as well. You may want to bring food, money, and clothing for extreme weather with you. If you’re interested, we also have a messaging service; if you give us a call, we can let your mom know that you’ve left and that you’re safe.
Thank you again for reaching out. It sounds like you’re in a scary situation, but you’re doing a great job reaching out for support and thinking about your options. You sound like a really brave, smart, and resourceful young person and you deserve to be safe. We wish you the best of luck and we hope this response was helpful. We encourage you to give your honest feedback of our services at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think . Stay safe and stay strong!

[Guest]

hello Its just me and my 10 year old brother. the thing i hate is that he bothers me a lot and calls me names and stuff like that but when i call him something back I get in trouble and now im grounded and he gets to basically laugh in my face i just wanna run away and if i dont get help soon i will r u with me then lets go

[ccsmod3]

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline and sharing your story with us. It sounds like things are difficult at home right now because your brother often calls you names. It sounds like you have thought about leaving home. It is great that you are exploring your options and reaching out for help in the process. If you situation becomes more difficult, you are considering running away or find yourself on the run, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-786-2929.
When faced with similar circumstances people often first contact someone that they trust at their school to help them work through their issues. This way, they can talk to a trust worthy adult who is non-biased and outside of their situation. They might be able to help you come up with a concrete plan to get what you want at home. If school personnel, such as a teacher, faculty or counselor are not an option, an alternative option you can try is to work with an outside family friend, relative or another person who has knowledge of your situation directly.
Another option you can try is family counseling. This can be a great way to get the family together and air out your issues with each other in a non-hostile, supportive environment. Alternatively, NRS offers a conference calling service, where a trained facilitator can mediate a conversation between you and your family. If you are interested in such a service, please feel free to contact us 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929.
For people who have been in similar situations it’s important to think about what might happen if you were to leave home. If you parents were to notice you were missing they might file a runaway report. Basically what this report means is that if you were to be picked up by the police or with another government agency, you would be returned home. Running away is a status offense, so if you were caught, you wouldn’t be charged with a crime.

Running away from home can be an unsafe situation. If you were to leave home it’s important to have a well thought out plan where you can stay safe and free from harm. If are set on running away from home it is important to consider where you might stay. If you do choose to stay with friends or someone else you might know, they could potentially be charged with Harboring a Runaway. Though we are not legal experts and each situation is different, harboring a runaway is a crime.
Additionally if you do find yourself running away from home, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-786-2929. We can help you find shelter, stay safe, help you return home, or simply just talk. We wish you the best of luck resolution your situation.
We hope this response was helpful! We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/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.

Tell us what you think about your experience!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Kind Regards,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 11 and I want to run away but I am too scared too because when I pack my bags I have no where to pack them and my family is like what are you doing and I don't know what to do

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you have been seriously considering running away. That is a big decision, and we are happy to help you in any way that we can.
You said that your main concern is that your family sees that you are packing your bags. It must be difficult feeling like you don't have privacy in those moments. Have you considered letting your family know about how you are feeling? This can be a very tough conversation to let your family know you are unhappy with your living situation. If you are interested, here at the NRS, we provide a conference calling service. You would call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), let us know a little more about your situation, then we would get someone from home on the line and talk to them about what is going on. We would then connect the call and try to focus the conversation to be positive and compromise-driven.
If you are more interested in figuring out the logistics of leaving home, we are happy to talk through your thoughts and options. We are available at our toll-free number 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) 24/7. We also have a chat service that you can access via our website https://www.1800runaway.org/.
Sometimes when things are overwhelming at home, it can be comforting to talk to a friend or trusted teacher or adult about how you are feeling. While you might not find the answers you are looking for, just being able to vent your frustrations can help your emotional well-being.
We want to make sure we are providing you with the best help possible. If you have a moment, we would really appreciate your feedback here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think.
Thanks again for reaching out. Feel free to contact us at any time. We're here to listen, here to help.
Best,
NRS

[Guest]

I feel like I’m trapped in a prison and running is the only solution, but I don’t want to run completely. I just want to feel free, but I don’t know how to, my school stresses me out so much that my parents and I have so many fights about school. Every fight, the wish to run away gets stronger. What should I do, I don’t know who to talk to, and the only thing keeping me here is my friends. I’ve had some really hard things I’m trying to get through, but I don’t know who to talk to. I just want to escape from this prison feeling. Please help me, and let me know what to do. I don’t feel comfortable talking about it with my parents because if I show my emotions that aren’t happy, I get yelled at if it’s for a reason they don’t find reasonable. My parents aren’t great at keeping all of their promises, so I grew up thinking that it was ok to lie, because they lied to me so much. My first “friend” was really a bully and they didn’t believe me, or do anything about it. I thought she was a real friend until I met my best friend and I hardly ever get to talk to her anymore because school doesn’t give any chances, and her phone doesn’t get calls or messages because it’s not working. I just don’t know what to do, I know running isn’t the solution, but it feels like the only thing to do. Please help me.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like there is a lot going on and you are under a lot of stress lately. Know that we are here to listen to you and provide you with some resources and information to help you.
You mention feeling like you can’t talk to your parents about what you are going through without them yelling at you. Here at NRS, we have a conference call service where we can have a call with both you and your parents. Some people find this helpful to tell a parent how they’re feeling with someone else on the line to advocate for them, and to keep the conversation productive. If you are interested in trying this, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) to get started.
Otherwise, perhaps there are other people you can talk to who can be helpful. We can connect you to therapy or counseling services where you can talk with someone individually, or with your family about what is going on and how you’re feeling. You can also do this by talking with a teacher or school counselor.
You can also always talk to us. We are here to talk through what you are feeling if you ever just need to get something off your chest. If you do decide that running away is right for you, we can help find you a safe place to stay so you are not on the streets.
We hope this information has been helpful. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions or want to talk with someone.

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

-NRS

[Guest]

hi
im 12 and i wanna run away i really don't have more reasons to but i keep messing up which leads my mom to hitting me please help

[ccsmod5]

Hi,
Thank you so, so much for reaching out. It takes a lot of courage to look for support and we’re so glad you found us. We want to let you know first and foremost that nothing you do would ever make it okay for your mom to hit you. It is never, ever okay for your mom to hit you, even if you “keep messing up.” Your mom is the one in the wrong here. One option that you have right now is to let child protective services know what’s going on; if your mom is hurting you, you have the right to file an abuse report. You can do that a couple ways. You can tell a teacher, guidance counselor, or another adult at school about how your mom has treated you. Any adult at school is required to let child protective services know about any abusive situations. Another way is to call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. This hotline can help you file an abuse report and can also tell you what might happen if you do file an abuse report (filing an abuse report does not necessarily mean that your mom will go to jail or that you will be taken away, so this hotline can tell you a little bit more about what might happen). Yet another option is to call your local police and let them know as well. You are not alone and you deserve to be loved, supported, and respected in your own home. Again, you never deserve to be hurt.
You mention wanting to leave home, which is valid considering what’s been going on. While we are not legal experts, we know that you generally would need your parents’ permission to leave home if you’re under 18 years old. If you leave without their permission, then your family could file a runaway report and if the police find you they may bring you home. That being said, if you let the police know that your mom has been hitting you, they should investigate that situation. We encourage you to think about your safest options right now: if you believe that leaving home is the safest thing for you to do, that’s valid. You might consider staying with a friend or a family member, or another adult you know and trust. You might want to bring food with you, money, and clothes for extreme weather.
Thank you again for reaching out. You sound like a really brave, strong, and resilient young person. We hope this response was helpful in giving you some options and next steps. If you want to talk about what’s been going on more specifically or need help locating resources, please feel free to call us or use our live chat feature. Our number is 1-800-786-2929. We wish you the best of luck and we encourage you to give your honest feedback of our services at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think
Stay safe!

[Guest]

Hello, I’m 11 and me and my friend are planning to run away. We don’t want to call anyone or stay anywhere, we just want to leave and be free- except we have no way of making money. Please help.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. We are here 24/7 to listen and support.

If you are thinking of running away, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) so a liner could talk you through your options and go through your plans with you. Because you are a minor, if you run away your parents could file a runaway report and if found, you could be returned by the police. It is not illegal to run away, but there could be legal consequences for whomever you stay with for what is called harboring runaway. If there is abuse in he home or you would like to have a conference call with your parents, don't hesitate to call in so you can utilize our services. Let us know how we can best help to talk you through things or if you need to find shelters or other resources.

Stay safe,

NRS

We hope this response was helpful! 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 youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: We care what you think