How many times did you vow as a teenager that you would run away when your parents wouldn't allow you to go out? Allow me to paint a picture for you. You"re packing your bags while grumbling about how tough life is at your age. Pink hair, black nails and a nose ring are all that matters in high school. Meanwhile, your parents are calmly standing at the door watching you with concerned yet confident looks knowing that the driveway, maybe even the mailbox, will be your farthest attempt. However, what if you went to a shelter? What if you ended up on the streets? Is your local city bench better than a warm bed? Now, let us replace those loving parents with angry, screaming and abusive ones. Would the situation change and seem more comprehensible? For some central Florida teens the mean streets of Orlando and other large nationwide cities are much more welcoming than their very own home. However, why do young teens run away? Where do most go? And what are city committees doing about this rising epidemic?.
A child who runs away usually has left home to escape or avoid an unpleasant environment. Most motives in teenagers for running away range from escaping recurrent abusive experiences at home to self improvement where they hope to change or stop whatever negative activity they are doing or about to do ( Conner par. 3). If, as a parent, you are unaware of your child's friends and who they have close relations and contact with on a regular basis, than the likeliness of your child running away is mounting. An ever-present distance between child and parent is one of the many warning signs in troubled and potential runaways ( Conner par. 7). In addition to unfamiliarity in a child's network of friends, abusive, irrational and emotional behavior are also key indicators. In this day and age as a parent one may think it impossible to know everyone your child hangs out with or comes in contact with.