The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

I remember those dreadful years raising a defiant teen - and the threat of running away.  When they finally do it, it can be a parent's nightmare.   If you are currently dealing with a runaway, act immediately. Do not waste any time in utilizing every resource you can to find your child. The list below details a plan of action and tips for finding help. Tips For Finding a Runaway Keep an updated phone list with the home and cell numbers of your teen’s friends. Using the phone list, call every one of your teen’s friends. Talk immediately with their parents, not their friends, as teenagers will often stick together and lie for each other. The parent will tell you anything they know, including the last time contact was made between their child and yours. They will also know to keep closer tabs on their own child. Keep an updated photo of your child on hands at all times. With this photo, create one-page flyers includin...

Being a parent of a teen is hard enough - when the holidays come along sometimes the stress can be overwhelming.  Are they driving you to your wit's end?  When a teen threatens to runaway or actually does, it can be a parent's nightmare.  It seems a teenager doesn't seem to realize that holidays are supposed to be a time of joy.  The National Runaway Switchboard estimates that up to 2.8 million children and teens run away from home each year. Many return home within the first 24 hours, but there are still a staggering number that never make it home. Here are some tips for parents: Building the Foundation for a Healthy Teen & Parent Relationship Building a good foundation increases the potential for a good relationship. Do’s and Don’ts For Parents With Teenagers If only it was this simple. Here are some effective tips for dealing with your teenager. What To Do If Your Child Runs Away From Home What should I do if my child runs away from home? ...

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. Being a parent isn't easy. And it can be especially difficult raising teenagers these days. But do you know where to turn if you are having problems with your child?  What do you do when your teen is missing and you aren't getting help from your local authorities? The National Runaway Switchboard is one resource parents can turn to.  1-800-RUNAWAY.  All calls to National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) are confidential and free 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-RUNAWAY now to speak with someone, or check out our other resources and services. If your teen is a chronic runaway and you are at your wit's end , it may be time to consider residential therapy.  After you have exhausted your local resources and therapy isn't working, and in many situations the teen refuses to attend therapy...

The authorities all but tell you (or they do tell you) "typical teen" they will show up eventually.  In the meantime you are a nervous wreck. What do you do?  Here are some quick tips for you: Keep an updated phone list with the home and cell numbers of your teen's friends. Using the phone list, call every one of your teen's friends. Talk immediately with their parents, not their friends, as teenagers will often stick together and lie for each other. The parent will tell you anything they know, including the last time contact was made between their child and yours. They will also know to keep closer tabs on their own child. Keep an updated photo of your child on hands at all times. With this photo, create one-page flyers including all information about your teen and where they were last seen. Post these flyers everywhere your teen hangs out, as well as anywhere else teenagers in general hang out. Post anywhere they will allow you to. Immed...

One of any parent's greatest fears is a missing child. 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 regulations 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 chan...

Knowing the Difference: Runaway, Missing or Sneaking? When a teen turns up “missing,” parents must initially decide whether the child is missing, has run away, or simply sneaked out. There are differences, and those differences are very important. A missing child could have been abducted by someone against his/her will and is being held, possibly threatened. A missing child can also be a child who is simply missing; the child did not return home when expected and may be lost or injured. Runaway teens and sneaking teens are often confused, as both leave a supervised environment of their own free will. Sneaking teens leave home for a short period of time, with intent to return, most likely during the night or while a parent can be fooled. A runaway teen leaves home or a supervised environment for good, with intent to live separate from his/her parents. Runaway teens will likely have shown symptoms prior to running away. In most cases, a teen runs away after a frustrating and heated argum...

Teen Runaways are on the increase. Many teens think that the grass is greener on the other side. They are confused and following the crowd of peers making poor choices. Teens want to escape the "rules of a household" and we as parents, become their number one enemy. They feel that they are fearless and can prove they can survive without their parents and our rules. Rules are put in place for a reason; we love our children and want them to grow up with dignity and respect we try to instill in them. Their flight plan, in some ways, is a cry for attention. Many times runaways are back home shortly, however there are other situations that can be more serious. This is not to say any child that runs away is not serious, but when this becomes a habit and is their way of rebelling, a parent needs to intervene. So many times we hear how "their friend’s parents" allow a much later curfew or are more lenient, and you are the worst parents in the world. This is very common and ...

I receive many calls from parents when their teens have runaway, left their home in a rage, and don't come back for hours, days, weeks! It is one of the scariest feelings a parent can have. Learn more about Runaway Prevention this month. Welcome to the National Runaway Switchboard Between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away in a year. Our mission at the National Runaway Switchboard is to help keep America’s runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets. Our services are provided in part through funding from Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Call 1-800-RUNAWAY if you are a teenager who is thinking of running from home, if you have a friend who has run and is looking for help, or if you are a runaway ready to go home through our Home Free program . Call if you are a teacher looking for information to pass along to your students about alternatives to running from home. Call if you care ab...

Knowing the Difference: Runaway, Missing or Sneaking? When a teen turns up "missing," parents must initially decide whether the child is missing, has run away, or simply sneaked out. There are differences, and those differences are very important. A missing child could have been abducted by someone against his/her will and is being held, possibly threatened. A missing child can also be a child who is simply missing; the child did not return home when expected and may be lost or injured. Runaway teens and sneaking teens are often confused, as both leave a supervised environment of their own free will. Sneaking teens leave home for a short period of time, with intent to return, most likely during the night or while a parent can be fooled. A runaway teen leaves home or a supervised environment for good, with intent to live separate from his/her parents. Runaway teens will likely have shown symptoms prior to running away. In most cases, a teen runs away after a frustrating and he...