How to stop my teen from sneaking out and running away?
Let’s face it, raising a defiant teenager is not easy and when they become out-of-control and leave your home it is scary. How long will they be gone? Have they runaway? Do they sneak out in the middle of the night? Was this planned?
The streets are not a place for youth — yet they believe they are wise enough to survive!
Each year, one million troubled teens from every social class, race and religion run away from home. Unfortunately, for American families, that number continues to rise.
Confused, pressured and highly impressionable teens follow their peers into bad choices.
In most cases, runaway teenagers want to escape the rules and boundaries of their family and household. Disagreements with parents leave them unhappy and frustrated to the point of rebellion. Naiveté leads them to believe they could survive outside the nest; and dreams of a life without parental guidance, rules and punishment seem ideal.
The dangers of a runaway lifestyle are obvious. Afraid and desperate, teens on the street are easy targets for robbery, rape, prostitution, drug addiction and violent crime. While the official Runaway Hotline cites nine out of ten teens return home or are returned home by the police within a month, any amount of time on the street can change a child forever.
Protecting our children from a potential runaway situation is incredibly important; the problem is serious, and the effects are severe.
If your child has runaway, contact your authorities and report it. Then reach out to National Runaway Safeline for support. They have a vast amount of resources and information for parents and youth.
This behavior can be a cry for help.
Read: Does Your Teen Want to Drop Out of School.
Read 5 Benefits of Boarding Schools for Troubled Teens.
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If you have exhausted your local resources with your teenager that is constantly sneaking out or running away, contact us today to learn more about how residential treatment may benefit your troubled teen.
