My friend wants to run away from home and live in a homeless shelter, what can I do?

[Dreamer11]

My friend and I are both Christians, and both seventeen years old. I don't know him extremely well yet, but he opens up to me and we have had in depth conversations. Recently he told me that he is thinking about running away and living in a homeless shelter, because he can't stand to live at home. As far as I know there isn't any domestic abuse, but he has a lot of family issues that I don't know in great detail. He is extremely smart so I don't know what I can say to get him to change his mind, as he's probably thought through all his options already. He is still planning on attending university in the fall. I'm just worried about him doing this, even though he says it will give him new perspective and experience. He won't even be 18 when he does this, and it can be dangerous for anyone to live on the streets, let alone a kid on his own. I want to be supportive of him and a good friend, and I just don't know what I can say or do. I'm going to lunch with him tomorrow so I'll learn more about his family situation then and try and talk it through with him. Is it a really bad idea for him to live in a shelter, or am I overreacting? What could I do to help?

[Christian Teen Forums]

[Wesker]

Is it possible for him to come live with your family, at least temporarily?

[Zhouburn]

My brother currently lives in a homeless shelter. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone. Can't he just wait it out til he goes to College?

[Hessmix]

To be blunt, if he was smart he wouldn't consider running away from home.

He should get a job put a down payment on an apartment and get the heck out. Easier said then done I know but life is tough.

[Max Power]

Let him. I doubt he'll last long at a homeless shelter, and then he'll just come back.

[mintchocochip]

To be blunt, if he was smart he wouldn't consider running away from home.

This is like... really awful, you know. Because I know people who are intelligent and were stuck in bad situations and the best thing for them was to leave. That didn't make them any less smart, it was just the best option for them. Also, in some situations the abuse is not apparent, it could be emotional abuse..

But... I don't know if you're I'm the situation correctly, OP. I'm confused: who runs away to a homeless shelter? The proper thing is to first run away from home, and then seek refuge in a homeless shelter. I mean, that's the logical thing. You have to be homeless to be in a homeless shelter, right? True; there are in between shelters/charities for homeless youth, at least where i live, which are more for kids who have been kicked out of their home, have addictions, bad family life or whatnot. Your friend would probably fit better in one of these places, where they assist kids in finishing their education, securing jobs and starting their own lives.

Even better would be to find a family for him to stay with, whether your family, some of your relatives, your parent's friends, a family at your church, etc... Look at all your options and above all support and help your friend rather than encourage him to stay in a situation which is hurting him because that is possibly the worst thing you can do.

[Hessmix]

This is like... really awful, you know. Because I know people who are intelligent and were stuck in bad situations and the best thing for them was to leave. That didn't make them any less smart, it was just the best option for them. Also, in some situations the abuse is not apparent, it could be emotional abuse..

When he has the the out of going to College in the fall all he has to do is tough it out.

[mintchocochip]

When he has the the out of going to College in the fall all he has to do is tough it out.

Toughing it out doesn't always work. Especially in cases of abuse, as I mentioned earlier. OP hasn't really revealed his friend's circumstances, and it is always better to err on the side of caution.