NOW CLOSED: UK MNers: Child aged 6-19? Please please please complete a Railway Children survey about talking to your child

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by the charity Railway Children to find out how you feel about talking to your child about a variety of topics.

The survey should take a few minutes to complete and is open to all UK Mumsnetters with at least one child aged 6-19 years.

For every survey completed, £2 will be donated to Railway Children by Aviva, to support the work the charity does in the UK - please note you can only answer the survey once.

Everyone who takes part and adds their details at the end will also be entered into a prize draw to win VIP rugby tickets (for a family of 4) to attend the Aviva Premiership Final in May at Twickenham, courtesy of Aviva (these can be passed on to family or friends if you win but are unable to attend).

Mumsnet will be working with Railway Children over the next few months and we'll tell you more about our plans shortly.

If you have more than one child aged 6 to 19, for this survey we'd like you to please answer thinking about one of these children. It could be your boy, girl, oldest, youngest or middle child (if applicable) in this age band, please just pick one at random to answer the questions about. If you have older or younger children please answer thinking about your child aged 6 to 19.

Here's the survey link again

Railway Children and Aviva would also welcome any comments you have about the issues raised in the survey on this thread so do share what you think about running away and communicating with children here.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw

MNHQ

[SE13Mummy]

It let me complete it this time!

[LittleDragon]

Thanks for that AnnMumsnet. It just gives me another help when dealing with the girls and knowing what to look for.

[AnnMumsnet]

LittleDragon - no worries - may have some more info for you - will send it across when I get it.

[THERhubarb]

I wanted to run away as a child. Never did because I worried about who would look after my brother, but I really really wanted to.

My kids will never be in the same situation I was in and luckily we are very open with them both and I feel confident that they can talk to us about anything. As ds has separation anxiety I reckon I'll have problems getting him to leave home never mind running away!

[gazzalw]

I think one thing that this should teach us all as parents is that it could happen to any family and it's complacent to think otherwise.....

[pengymum]

completed

[SlightlyJaded]

Done :(

[SecretSquirrels]

Done. I chose DS1 at random but realised that I probably haven't talked to DS2 anything like as much about difficult subjects.

[cm22v077]

Done

[iseenodust]

Done.

[kasha78]

Just done survey. Thanks very interesting and really gets you thinking :0

[jennybee1408]

great survey hope it helps some kids

[BigStickBIWI]

Have done.

[pdb]

I was quite shocked how many children run away, i've never even thought abou this as a possble occurance with my own kids but guess nobody is immune

[Jins]

Fabulous survey and happy to help.

If I win the tickets (unlikely as I never win anything) I'd like them to be auctioned or raffled to raise funds for the charity. Rugby tickets are of no interest to me or anyone I know and I'd rather they did some good.

[JaquelineHyde]

I would really like to be on the panel but the dcs aren't nine yet

I ran away at 15 and sofa surfed and lived rough for a long time. I remember sleeping in a town centre toilet for a few nights, well I didn't sleep much as you can imagine.

I had a lovely up bringing in what would be considered a middle class home (not financially but aspirationally), when people I know now learn that I was a runaway and the types of people that forced me to socialise with they are shocked as I suppose I don't fit the stereotype of a young, homeless runaway.

[BigStickBIWI]

Oh, how sad, Jaq

[TheReturnoftheSmartArse]

I had NO IDEA about the number of children who run away each year. I am astounded and saddened.

[TheReturnoftheSmartArse]

Jaq , I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I wonder how your experiences have affected the way in which you are bringing up your DCs, compared to the way I bring up mind.

I had a perfectly "naice" upbringing, but my relationship with my mother was tricky. I have tried to learn from that and to treat my DCs differently, or to react to their choices more carefully and calmly, but bits of my mother often creep in.

[mama1109]

survey done

[AnnMumsnet]

JaquelineHyde - am sure we'd love to have you on the panel if you're able to share your experiences...think it would be of massive value. Let me know if you'd like to (PM me) and I will add that in to your survey from.

Again thanks to all those who have responded so far...keep your responses coming.

[THERhubarb]

Jaq, I don't know if you are up for sharing this, but could you give us some reasons why you ran away? I'd like very much to try and prevent this from happening either to myself or any other family.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Done

[treacletart]

done

[JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar]

Well done to whoever wrote that questionnaire; it's jolly well crafted.