6 year old wants to leave home

[MrsNorthman]

He came downstairs last night with his bags packed and said he was going in the morning.

This morning came and I told him that he had to go to school, so he said he'd leave after school .....

I know lots of kids say this and I remember I did too when I was about 10 but I don't know how to play it. Obv I know he can't really leave but he is such a contrary child that if you say one thing he will do the opposite, so I want to call his bluff.

Yesterday he stole a Marie Curie Cancer Care daffodil from the secretaries area at school. He knew that he was supposed to pay for it because we had had a previous conversation about it .... but when my mum asked him where he'd got it from, he went all quiet on her. He also sneeked his watch to school yesterday.

Basically he is displaying a lot of sneeky lying behaviour at the moment and I keep telling him off because of it. Maybe thats why he wants to leave!!

He is a very mature boy for his age and bright and seems to have a mind thats on the go 'all the time'. He wants to run before he can walk! He is also a control freak and even tells me how to drive the car. I am worn out from arguing and having silly conversations with him where I say one thing and he wants to do another.

What would you do?

I don't remember how many times I packed my things and left at that age. The only thing I remember is that I always came back as soon as it was cold, dark or I got hungry.

Obviously, those were other times, otherwise I would be advising you to let him go.

Ask him "How do you feel" next time he is busy packing his bags, and use his response as a starting point of a conversation to tell him that you don't enjoy telling him off but that you need to correct those tings to avid him getting into trouble.

things, even

I did too although I was a little older but I always went to my Grans. He wants to go to London!

I would love to let him go but as you say, these days its not safe to let him go. But I really want to call his bluff.

I'm thinking of not cooking any dinner and when he asks where it is I was going to tell him that I didn't think he would be here for dinner and that dad and I are eating later. Maybe that'll open up conversations! Then hopefully he will then agree to stay and him and my husband can go and get fish and chips.

Hark at me .... I'm talking like he is actually going to go ..... but I can't let him win this ... he has such a strong personality and opinion