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Preventing Runaways
Keep Your Teen From Becoming One of the Thousands That Run Away Each Year
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
"I tried to explain to my son that I understood what he was feeling, and soon after he would let go of his idea to leave. I guess I'm lucky that I'm no longer in the relationship, otherwise I'm sure he really would have run away."
As adults, we have learned to face whatever problems are before us and meet them head on in an attempt to solve them. However, teens may not have that skill and may feel overwhelmed, scared or confused. "Running away is an attempt at resolving or escaping from some problem," Dr. Coleman says. "Finding out what that problem is offers the first and most important step in preventing a teen from leaving home by running away."
Teens may use running away as a means of getting attention, resolving an argument or even as an attempt to make their parents feel guilty or scared. Yet, too often parents take light of what their teen states regarding running away. "If your child is threatening to run away, take time to consider what the underlying problem might be," Dr. Coleman says. "If your teen threatens to run away, don't be intimidated. Let him know that you'll call the police and speak to each and every one of his friends' parents in order to find him. Let him know that you will do whatever you have to do to get him back – no matter where he goes."
