14 from Pennsylvania - divorced parents

[Guest]

my parents have been divorced for almost as long as I've been alive, and ever since then I switch from my mom's house to my dad & stepmom's house, and i stay with my dad and stepmom 5 days of the week. my stepmom is incredibly rude to me and I don't like her at all, mostly because she much prefers my older brother and she makes sure that I'm aware of it. I've told my dad this before, maybe a year or two ago, but he ended up getting mad at me and defending her. I just want to live with my mom for the majority of the time, but I'm terrified to tell my dad that and have him get mad at me, as I'm very sensitive. neither my dad nor my stepmom has ever laid a hand on me, and I wouldn't consider it verbal abuse, but the way they treat me could be considered neglect. if I just ran to my mom's house, would my mom get in legal trouble? would I get in legal trouble?

[ccsmod0]

Hello #1,

Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like your stepmom is really making things hard for you. You deserve to be treated with respect and consistency and it’s normal to feel sick of your situation. Especially since you are not getting support from Dad. You did the right thing contacting us.

We are not legal experts, however we can talk about your question in general terms. You are wondering what would happen if you went to Mom’s house. Running away is not a criminal offense, so if you were to leave your Dad’s house and he were to file a runaway report, the police would look for you and if they find you, they would bring you home. If you were staying with an adult, like your Mom, she could get in trouble for something called “Harboring a Runaway.” Sometimes talking to Dad or Mom about wanting to change your living situation can eliminate having to get the courts or police involved. It sounds like you might not be comfortable with this option, or anticipating negative feedback as you have received in the past. You have been dealing with this a long time! You would know best the correct path for you.

Again, we’re really glad that you reached out to us. It takes a lot to ask for help and you are trying to figure out your options which is really good to see. If you would like to talk further about your situation, please do not hesitate to call or chat with us. We’re here to listen, here to help. 1-800-786-2929