Running away as a kid

[Fusterclucked]

Did anyone else ever try this? I remember always trying to “run away” from home as a disgruntled kid. Packing a jam sandwich and not getting far.. maybe disappearing for the day before going home again hungry. This was in the 80’s.

When I said I was going to leave home - about 7 - mum picked up my attache case to help me pack!

I did a couple of times. I mentioned it to my kids recently (it possibly came up in a book) and they were appalled that any child would want to run away from home. I took that as a huge compliment, I have a tendency to think that everyone automatically hates their childhood but they are clearly enjoying theirs!

I remember trying to, in the 80s, aged about ten. We'd just moved house (again - my 4th or 5th house) and I wasn't happy. I packed a rucksack and was going to run away to my gran's house. God knows why but I chose a horrible night in January, it was blowing a hoolie, pitch dark, and.. I couldn't open the back door 😄

Ended up on the sofa crying in frustration but my parents were very nice about it.

Gods no. Home was my haven.

I had many instances of leaving the house in teenage meltdown with my mother chasing after me in the car and screaming at me to get in. I don’t know if that counts or not!

Yes. Late 80s or early 90s. My dad wasn't tolerant of stroppy teenagers and his response to me being a brat was to smash up my beloved radio I got for my birthday a month earlier. So I ran away. Was in the evening and it did cause a bit of a stir. Big sister ringing round friend's houses, my F getting into an argument with another friend's dad. I walked around the block, sat in the park and when it got cold and wet I snuck in through the back garden and sat in the shed. And my mum found me! I don't know what made her look there.
Anyway, I had lots of apologies to make the next day. Not to my dad though, I still hated him for smashing up my radio - which he didn't apologise for or replace! He didn't even say sorry for being rude to my friend's dad.
I was definitely a bit of a brat though. But my parents weren't the best either and I only see them now so my DC can know them.

yes, i did, not got far though, just to the nearest shop, sat outside.

I remember getting in an absolute strop over my friend having a new packet of crayons when I was about 6. I wanted some too, but mum (rightly!) said no.
I told her she was horrible and mean and I was leaving. She helped me pack and opened the door.
I didn't get far though, because I wasnt allowed to cross the road 🤣

When I was 8, my dad gave me a bad hiding for something I hadn't done. He went out and I stole £2 out of the copper jar, took a lump of bread and made off up the railway tracks. I got about 7 or 8 miles and found a bridge, which I decided to sleep under.

God, it was freezing, not to mention uncomfortable, on railway ballast. In the morning, I just hung around and two coppers turned up, as a farmer had spotted me. They gave me Hell.

When I got home, I got another hiding.

I did this as a very young child. Didn't get far but it felt like the only option when you have zero power.

Yes, think it was a reaction to adoption of a sibling breaking down , them disappearing and not getting to say goodbye or getting any explanation. I must have been 6-7. Packed a case and somehow dragged or carried it over a mile to my best friend’s house, crossing a dual carriageway on the way. Big smile, “I’ve come to live with you” —- can still remember the shocked look on the mum’s face! She phoned her husband who left work to drive me home. My parents were all smiley with the dad…. Not so with me when he’d left. I was told if I didn’t like living with them they could put my in the children’s home as they’d done with G. I quite liked that idea.

Not something either of my dc did and I think dgc would be horrified at the idea.

I did run away, wait a while, then go home. Still running when I chose my uni far from home. What made you think of this?

I used to ride the train back and forth as a teen for somewhere to go at night when I didn't want to go home.

Haha, I did this when I was around 7 I think after getting a telling off. Put my coat on, got my skipping rope and when I opened the front door my mum heard it from the living room and shouted "where do you think you're going" so I just slunk off back to my bedroom.

Some awful stories here. I was one of the more casual runner-away-ers - basically had a good childhood and was happy at home but was always plotting dramatic escapes when I was annoyed with my parents, and either not doing it or just doing it very half-heartedly. I did climb down the hall through several fences to the local station once but was caught by the stationmaster and sent home after a telling off.

I don’t think children these days with basically happy homes seem so inclined to fantasise about running away - maybe a lack of confidence due the lower levels of independence children have these days.

Of course it’s very different to children with genuinely difficult home lives. 💐to PPs who had difficult home lives.

Am really hoping this was a typo and it was a little 5 yr old having an adventure with Teddy!