Your Teenager Threatens to Run Away from Home - How to React

The teenage years are filed with high drama and the occasional heated argument and emotional outburst. Raging hormones as well as conflicts with friends and members of the opposite sex can make every teenager lose their composure from time to time. For many parents, hearing "I'm going to run away," is simply an empty threat expressed in the heat of the moment. Unfortunately, for many other parents, this indeed becomes their reality when their teen fails to come home one day and can't be found. Here are some suggestions on how to react if your teen threatens to run away.

First And Foremost, Take The Threat Seriously. It is very likely that this threat is simply a result of frustration and as soon as your teenager cools off, he or she will quickly forget about the idea of taking off for parts unknown. However, dismissing the threat so easily as teenage hormones and an immature way of reacting to conflict, may lead to the heartbreaking discovery that your child was very serious. If your child stomps off to their room after making this threat, give them a few minutes to calm down and then approach them for a very serious discussion.