Help me to not freak out. 15 year old son not home from meeting friends

[Viva_La_Revolution]

He left yesterday at noon to meet a friend and play pool. I told him to write down the place he was going; he didn't. This is not like him! I have IM'd his buddy list to find out who was meeting, no repies yet. I also went into IE history and pulled up the bus schedules he looked at. He checked only the same two he takes between Dads house and mine. Everyone says sit tight, he'll show up. If this was his brother I would agree, but this one doesn't just take off and not call.


Now I'm just waiting by the phone. Am I too worried?

[annabanana]

1. when did you expect him?

When does he usually return from trips like this?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. He should have been home by 10pm latest...

He doesn't usually go out. prefers play Diablo w/friends online.

He's like me, not anti-social, but would rather stay home, I can count on one hand how many times he's gone out with freinds this year. He was always home when he was supposed to be, maybe an hour late or so, nothing like this.

[helderheid]

11. call the police

He's probably fine but better to have more help looking for him than less.

[justinsb]

2. If he checked the ones between Dad's house and yours

did you call Dad's house?

[TX-RAT]

3. If this was his brother I would agree

If it doesn't feel right, notify authorities.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. called them, gave basic info.....

but they say the same, he'll turn up.

Talked to Dad's several times between last night and this morning, stepmom out checking friends, no answer at the house right now. Dad has a cell phone, but he's working, so we're keeping those calls to a min.

[Enraged_Ape]

4. I will assume...

that you have called the police.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Hugs to you.

Maybe the people he is with don't have cell phones? Or maybe the phones are not charged?

My 13yo doesn't turn on his phone a lot, and it makes me crazy because he loses track of time.

I am sure he is fine.

[helderheid]

6. Stupid question but does he have a cell phone?

Has it been 24 hours?

[trotsky]

7. Could his "friend" be a love interest?

Might have had an opportunity to spend a night together. Those hormones are a-ragin' at that age.

(Not that that's a good scenario either, but a possibility maybe?)

[mike_c]

8. whoa, I think I'd be frantic in your situation....

I presume you've called his dad to see whether he went there. I strongly urge you to call the police and report him missing-- the sooner they have the report, the sooner they can begin looking for him if necessary. Bext of luck Viva. :hug:

[helderheid]

10. kick from another mother

[converted_democrat]

12. If this is not normal behavior for him, I'd call the police.

Your his Mom, do you have any funny feelings? Do you FEEL that something is wrong? Call the police.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

16. Please call the police. You're not over reacting. Also check the place

where he went to play pool. They might remember whom he was with. Huggies to you. I went through something similar with my 14 year old son this winter. If you don't get satisfaction from the police, call the FBI.

[tubbacheez]

13. If I was in this situation

(which I'm not, so this is just a best guess what I'd do)


I'd consider a 24-hour unexplained absence sufficient reason to call all known contacts and start piecing together what he did since leaving yesterday.

I wouldn't worry about anything negative just yet.

But I would use this elapsed time as just cause for pulling out all the stops and preparing a huge lesson on how important it is to communicate with Mom.






Definitely call Dad. Keep the emotions in check; they're entirely valid, but they shouldn't be running the show.

Blessed be.

[Pachamama]

77. The 24 hour Missing Rule does NOT apply to MINORS! Please call the Police!

Call each of his friends that you know of...call their parents...visit their homes....have them think of friends and acquaintances that you might not know the names of and contact them. Take notes and build a timeline of where he was since he left the house and whom he has seen or spoken to or where he has been seen. People's memories are freshest in the first 24 hours. Also, if he has gone "missing" as in foul play or an abduction (or an accident and is somewhere injured), the rule of thumb is that the first 24-48 hours are the most crucial in being able to locate a person. I'm sorry, I don't want to panic you, but as a fellow Mom, this would be freaking me out and these days with some of the nutcases out there, you can never be too careful.

And if it turns out that he is fine and is either being a "teenager" with a strong willed defiant streak and is off getting high or with a girl, then atleast you took the precautions to know otherwise. And if it ends up "embarressing" him that you called every neighbor, friend etc. trying to find him, then atleast it should be a lesson that he needs to check in with you, follow your instructions to telling you where he is going and - that you love him.

Please let us know when you hear from him....This is scary...

[smartvoter]

14. Sorry you are going through this. Try to focus on what you

can do (phone calls, etc.) if it's easier than just sitting.

[rumpel]

17. Look at the phone records, look at his chats. If you see something

unfamiliar it will help the investigation, call police.
If you find suspicious calls and chats with some one beyond your family's normal calling area, or son's friends circle point it out.
My daughter was abducted when she was 12 and recovered by the FBI the next day.
She also said she was going to a friends' house, but she was brainwashed by this guy to willingly go. This guys now is in Federal prison.
Don't delay.
FBI Internet Crimes Against Children
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/innocent.htm

it also gives you the link to the National Center for Missing Children, I was completely blank and at a loss of what to do, where to call, they helped a lot supporting me.

My heart is with you stay strong.

[tenshi816]

18. My son just turned 14, and if it were him, I'd be crazy by now.

So, no, I don't think you're too worried. Does he have a cellphone? Do you know his closest friends' home numbers so you could call them or speak to their parents?

Have you notified the police yet? Your son will undoubtedly be pissed off if they go looking for him, but I'm of the opinion that it's better to do that than just sit there waiting. Plus, he'll think twice before not calling next time.

My son went out one day without telling me where he was going, and it was hours before I knew where he was. I was a complete wreck during that time.

Please keep us posted. My thoughts are with you.

[snacker]

23. I agree.

This sounds like good advice.
We are all sending good thoughts your way.

[madrchsod]

19. 15 years old?

call the cops now.

[Momgonepostal]

20. Kick

Good luck to you...I hope he comes home soon!

[IndyOp]

21. I could easily imagine him staying with a friend overnight and

not having awoken yet - he may be on his way home or about to call you any minute.

I would try to stay calm and I would take action to track him down just because it is better than waiting by the phone...

Do you have names, phones for his friends? Can you call them/their parents to find out if any of his friends are missing, too? If you can reach his friends maybe they could get a message to him that his mom is really worried and he needs to call in.

Do Dad and brother know that he is gone? Maybe one of them would have an idea where he might be.

Do you know of any big events happening within a couple of hours of where you live - maybe he was drawn to it for an adventure.

If you have any faith in your local police you might phone them and report him missing - they may be able to give you some tips on where/how to look for him.

Fifteen is just about the right age to try out rebelliousness if you haven't tried it before...

O8)

[htuttle]

22. The entire time raising our sons was just like that

Usually, they came home.

Once or twice (or maybe 3-4 times), they'd run away. Not because they were unhappy at home, but because they were 'bored' (and decided that, for instance, going to a Rainbow gathering sounded fun).

All I can say is, good luck. We found the police to be very little help most of the time in this situation. If your son was your daughter instead, they'd no doubt take a lot more interest in his apparent disappearance.

[IdaBriggs]

24. No, you aren't. Call the police! And keep us posted!

Best, Ida

[Corey_Baker08]

25. As a 15 Year Old.......

I would have to say in this situation he probably did the same thing I occasionally do. See I have a 17 year old brother that will just up and vanish at his girlfriends for days at a time and no one seems to care. So he probably got to his friends house, they ended up doing something fun and decided to stay the night.

He probably didnt call or stop by because (if this is the case)he figures that you wouldnt really care because his brother always just disappears without phone calls or notes and you never seem to mind.

Of course however the Internet can get you into situations you wouldnt normally know of. The fact that you read back over the explorer history doesnt mean much considering with a click of a button he can delete all history including sites he has visited, chat rooms he has went to.

Hey may also have multiple buddy list for other people he talks to. The internet is a scary bitch.

[rumpel]

35. For some. But this Mom acts differently look, she was asking for him to

leave a note of where he was going.

[Greybnk48]

26. Call the police! Don't wait.

I've learned from experience that kids are not as cautious as you think they are or hope they are regarding the trusting of people they should not trust. Don't worry about looking foolish--who cares. Tell the police what you've said here, that this is out of character, and get some help in this.

[Quakerfriend]

27. Call the Nat'l Center for Missing and Exploited Children

the # 1-800-THE-LOST.

John Walsh, of America's most Wanted, rec'ds doing this first thing!

The police often tell parents to wait 24-48 hrs. and this in not smart to do.

Please, know that you are in our prayers!!

[tblue37]

28. Do anything you must to find him!

Ten years ago, when my son was 15 and didn't come home one night, it turned out he had been beaten, stomped and strangled, and left for dead by a group of 4 guys who had spotted him walking his girlfriend home.

He survived and is fine now, but he spent 1 1/2 days unconscious and had real PTSD for some time afterward.

Get everyone you know that he knows looking for him and calling all the contacts they are aware of. Call the newspaper and the local TV and radio stations. The cops won't do anything until he has been missing long enough for the trail to turn cold.

(BTW, the only reason they didn't succeed in killing my son is that they were too drunk to do a really good job, and too drunk to realize he was still breathing when they left him.)

[justinsb]

29. Kick

[deutsey]

30. Any word? If so, I'm hoping it was good.

[in_cog_ni_to]

31. If he hasn't called, CALL THE POLICE!

That's what I would do and I'm a mom. You are not too worried! He's been gone almost 24 hours with NO PHONE CALLS! PLEASE, call the police.

[gollygee]

32. I would guess he'll probably turn up, but I'd be frantic too

I started getting into a bit of trouble at 15, going to friends houses and getting drunk and then spending the night because I didn't want my folks to know I'd been drinking, that kind of thing.

I hope he's fine and will show up soon! I can understand why you're worried!

[Corey_Baker08]

34. I Know Nothing About Going to friends houses and getting drunk!!!

As A 15 year old I would never do such a thing O8) :evilgrin:

Seriously though it is quite possible thats exactly what I do occasionally. You dont want parents to find out so the best solution is to stay the night. Or maybe he is sneaking into the bedroom window of his girlfriend and only has so much of a chance to get out without getting caught by her parents (dad ecspecially)

[rumpel]

33. FYI. Mine left at 9 am at 5pm I called the police. Even though sympathetic

their supervisor told them (officer's)they will not actively look, (which means put a unit specifically to look for her) if the missing person is between the age 13 and 62. Mine had just turned 13 a few days earlier.
The FBI then jumped in.

I hope it's nothing of the sort, but it helps to consult with them.

The Missing Children people have direct access and deep knowledge and will give you good advice according to your circumstances.

edit: officers

[JHB]

36. No, you're not 'too' worried. Call his Dad and the Police...

...even if everything is OK (and everyone here is wishing or praying for that to be the case), an unauthorized overnight trip by a 15-year-old shouldn't be tolerated.

Do you know any of his friends parents, whom you could call or pay a visit?

Look around his room. Don't tear up the place (yet), but is there anything obviously missing?

[TexasLady]

37. kick

[faithnotgreed]

38. did you call his father? or other friends

communication is KEY but often doesnt happen no matter the relationship, hope that is what is going on here

we send our best wishes and prayers that everythings ok

[OneBlueSky]

39. you can never be too worried about kids . . .

not in this day and age . . . I'm sure he'll turn up with a good or not-so-good explanation . . . please keep us posted . . .

[LibDemAlways]

40. When it comes to kids, a parent can never

be "too" worried. I hope you've called the police by now.

Please keep us posted.

[snacker]

41. Kick

[Mr.Green93]

42. Have any military recruiters

been in contact with your son?

[GreenPartyVoter]

43. Is he home yet?

[eissa]

44. Any updates?

Hope everything is ok.

[justinsb]

45. Keeping it kicked - sending out some love

:hug:

[blondeatlast]

46. First, a hug, then some tough love here. Call the cops--for 2 reasons.

First; my profound empathy--I've recently faced a similar situation with my 8 year old. Second: :hug: Third; you are the parent--NEVER DOUBT your decisions--ever. Intuition is your friend! Call the cops.

1. He's been missing over 12 hours, if my calculations are correct. He, or someone else, could go an awful long way in that time.

2. Make it known to him that this is a very serious matter, and it won't be tolerated. You have every right; indeed, obligation, to expect him to follow your rules until he's independent.

If he does return, and the police are involved, I'd make him apologize in front of them to you--and then to the police.

I may be more strict than many; I have an only child and health issues, so I practicce serious preventive medicine--but even my EIGHT year old pulled a similar stunt this year. The cops were involved, he had to apologize to them and me--and he's been very careful to let me know where he is always since then.

[Bethany Rockafella]

47. Are you saying your son didn't come home last night?

Please call the police.

[blondeatlast]

48. NEVER DOUBT YOUR PARENTING SKILLS. CALL THE POLICE.

Sorry to shout, but we are all with you in hoping for a good outcome.

There is no harm in calling the police.

[BeHereNow]

49. Okay, I am freaking- where did Viva LR go?

Still no word from her about his safety?
As a mom I KNOW the panic of a child
not checking in.
If anyone hears anything, PLEASE let us know.
BHN

[justinsb]

50. Deep breath

Viva is a grown up, maybe her son is home and they're talking, maybe she's on the phone or out looking, or out picking him up somewhere. It hasn't been that long.

:shrug:

[BeHereNow]

63. Clarification please-

Maybe I misunderstood, how long has he been gone
without checking in?
I thought he had been gone since last night.
If so, I would think Viva would be frantic.

Could someone tell me the timeline?
BHN

[justinsb]

65. No no, he has been gone too long

I was just saying that it hadn't been that long since she checked in. About the most we can offer is moral support and some suggestions. If she's gone for a long time making phone calls etc we shouldn't worry too much.

[BeHereNow]

70. Thanks, I get it now-

I did not know how long it had been
since she checked in.
I hope the cops can access and go through all
of his computer activity.
Kids do everything on computer now as
far as making plans.
Did he say who the friends were?
God, I am so worried for him.
BHN

[justinsb]

71. Yes he's been gone

over almost 24 hours now. The police are on there way to see VLR, so she may be on and off alot. We're all worried but while VLR and her son can be our top priority right now we shouldn't be hers.

[BeHereNow]

73. Agree- hope you don't think

I meant that she should focus on us rather than her son!
When I came upon the thread I didn't really
have a sense of the timeline or sequence of events.
Now I do- thanks.

I am glad to hear that the police are now involved
and I hope we have good news soon.
BHN

[justinsb]

74. Nope, wouldn't think that for a second

just making sure we understood each other. :freak:

[blondeatlast]

51. I'm thinking the same thing. It's been about 1 1/2 hrs

since the OP, so I'm hoping her absence is a good thing.

It takes a parent to understand what she is going through.

Saying a prayer for VlR and VlR the younger.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

54. Checking in...

no news yet.

Officer on their way.

monitoring his Aim account.

Checking in w/Dad


Worrying.

not panicking, thanks to you guys.

V.

On edit - can I see his past messages on Aim? I've never used it before. managed to figure out how to send message to buddies. ?
How do I know if there's a message?

[justinsb]

55. Have you tried calling some of his friends

if they don't know where he is they may have more luck tracking him down, since they all likely know the same people and hang out at the same places.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

59. they don't use the phone.. they use Aim - IM'd them all

to see who knows what. no replies yet. I'm guessing they are all sleeping late. right?

[justinsb]

60. Probably, or they're all at the same place

is there any kind of concert, festival, big sporting event today? You might call anyway, talk to a few parents - maybe one of them knows what's going on.

[snacker]

64. Teenagers normally don't start their day until noon,

from my experience, but I would call their parents anyway.

[BeHereNow]

67. Does he use livejournal or myspace?

My daughter's entire social circle is online-
If he participates in any of those rooms
maybe the police can access his account
and see who has been communicating with him
or observing his posts.
All of those servers keep logs.
Also someone he is communicates with there
may know something.
I am sending you hugs-
I know what you are saying when you
say he is not the type to not check in.
My kid is the same way- she ALWAYS calls
because she knows I will freak out if she doesn't.
I am so worried about him.
You must be sick with fear.
Mother to mother hugs to you.
BHN

[Misunderestimator]

83. Do you know any parents' numbers?

[AmBlue]

90. I called my 21yo step-daughter who uses AIM

to see if she can find out if there is a way to see last messages on AIM. As soon as I know, I'll post it here.

Hang in there!

[anarchy1999]

57. Viva_La_Revolution, our hearts are with you from Texas and I know

I speak for all of us that haven't posted.

Stay calm (as as mom of a 17 year old, I know that is useless advice), but know also that you have so many of us here behind you at the ready to help in any way we can.

Peace and keep us posted.

Sherry

[blondeatlast]

58. We're here for you, and will help in any way we possibly can.

Keep us posted.

If you feel comfortable doing so, you might want to post a picture of him here; but I am very leery myself of posting pics on the 'net.

Again, never doubt your wisdom as a parent. You WILL do the right thing.

[seabeyond]

61. thanks for checking in. keep opening thread to see

lots of people sittin with you and ...............lol lol if it is stupid 15 stuff, we will all be behind. sorry you are experiencing this. mine are still so young, i dont have to go thru this

i remember.........doing some stupid things that had my parents afraid. wasnt even a thought in my head. i knew i was ok

[Citizen Jane]

66. Hang in there

I know it is tough, but we're all here sending positive thoughts!

[GiovanniC]

86. You Can View Old AOL Logs If That Option Is Turned On

But I think it is turned off by default.

The older versions of AOL let you keep logs of all your chats in a .log file that can be easily read with any text editing program (like Notepad). The newer versions, I've heard, have some encryption abilities where you would need your son's password to view them. I know this can seem confusing if you're not extremely computer literate, so if you need any help just let us know or you can PM me. There are a lot of technical gurus here at DU and we are all at your disposal.

[cynatnite]

52. I'd call the police

If you've got caller ID, check his latest calls. Also, search his room. His safety overrules his privacy. Look for phone numbers and anything else that could connect you to friends. See if they know his friends...write down phone numbers they give and hit the phones.

Let them know how worried you are. Believe me when I say they will at the very least let him know that you are scared out of your mind. Talk to other parents as well. They'll automatically be on your side.

Our oldest daughter ran away one time when she was about that age and it took almost two days to find her with the help of the police. She took off with some friends. She realized how badly she screwed up and how scared we were. She never did it again just because of that...well, and a six month grounding helped, too.

[slackmaster]

53. Another DUer for "Call the police!"

Do it NOW.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

56. As a mother of a teenager, I would call the police now.

They will be helpful even if it's not been 24 hours since he's a minor.

Good luck and my thoughts are with you.

[justinsb]

62. Keeping it kicked can we get another nomination

and move this to 'greatest" ?

[justinsb]

68. Thanks to whoever gave it

the extra 2 nods. :hi:

[johannes1984]

69. I have a 15 year old brother

had to drag his ass home a few times in the last year .It's scary but I do eventually intercept him , sometimes it just takes a while .

I called the police the last time , he stayed away a few days without giving me a heads up , seems to have shown him how serious I am about communication .

He'll be all right though .

[stanwyck]

72. Small comfort, I know,

but many of us have been through this way too many times. I know I have. Kids don't see life the way we do. I can't count the number of evenings into mornings that I was eaten up with fear because one or the other of my twins hadn't called when they'd decided to spend the night at a friend's or had been delayed. (they'll be 22 this month). Eventually, they'd call. Or come home. And say something inane, like, "I thought I told you I was spending the night at __________." Or, I tried to call but I didn't get through (!).
They just don't get it and they won't. No matter how much we yell at them. And ground them.
That is, until they're parents. They'll get it then.

[tblue37]

85. Yeah,

but if he is actually OK and just being a butt, then having the town turned upside down in search of him and having the cops and the FBI called in might make him think twice the next time he figures he doesn't need to check in with his mother.

Terrible things do happen to kids this age (see my post above about what happened to my son when he was 15), and kids need to learn not to be cavalier about checking in.

The fact is, even an adult who disappeared without a trace or a call when expected home at a certain time would create worries, and people would be really upset with someone who was that thoughtless about letting his loved ones know he was all right.

That happened to my sister once when she was 25. Her boyfriend at the time neglected to show up for a prearranged visit, and never called or checked in. She was frantic when she didn't hear from him for over 24 hours and no one else had any idea where he was, either.

Turns out he had gone for a 12-hour "walk," because he was working things out in his own mind about whether they should get married. (They did, by the way—and have been married for 25 years this month.)

But he never told her he wasn't coming over that evening, and he never called her to let her know he was OK, so of course she was scared something had happened to him--and so was his family after she called them to see if they had heard from him.

Most of us are not isolates. A whole web of people are concerned with you, and if you go missing like this, especially the way things are these days, you put them through unnecessary hell.

Kids need to learn that lesson, too. How would he like it if his mother disappeared, didn’t come home when expected or at all that night or the next morning, didn’t call or check in, and no one had seen or heard from her? I hope this boy shows up safe. And if he does, I hope his mother puts this very question to him.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

126. I think the most effective thing I can do is....

Make him read this thread. :evilgrin:

He will never forget to check in again.


btw- see below - he fell asleep playing video games at a friends house. :mad:

[tblue37]

129. He's safe?!!!

Ah, thank goodness! Thank goodness!

[Sapphire Blue]

75. CALL THE POLICE NOW; info from the AMBER Alert Portal & NCMEC

My child is Missing!

What do I do?

1. Immediately call your local law enforcement agency and report your child as missing. When a child is missing, there is no waiting period before a law enforcement agency can take a report. This is by Federal mandate under the National Child Search Assistance Act of 1990. (42 USC §§ 5775 and 5780)

Concentrate on remaining calm for the sake of your child.

Ask that an officer be dispatched to your location.

2. Look around your home for clues to your child’s possible whereabouts of destination of travel.

3. Be ready for the police when they arrive

4. Be Specific When Talking With the Police

5. Be Specific Describing Your Child

6. Help the police really know your child as you do. The police receive many false alarms, so have someone - your pastor, child's school teacher or principal, or a person in the community with name recognition who knows your child - call and attest to your child's integrity.

7. Have a copy of the most recent color photograph of the child available for the responding law enforcement agency. Also have a complete physical description ready including a description of the clothes the child was wearing. If you have them, also include the child's fingerprints, hair sample, and blood type.

8. Law enforcement will rely on the Information you provide about your missing child to publicize your child as missing and enter your child into the National Crime Information Center computer for accessibility of other law enforcement agencies nationwide.

9. Report the child missing to the toll-free hot-line of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800THE-LOST, (1-800-843-5678). The National Center can issue e-mail alerts about your missing child, distribute posters with your child's photo and information nationwide, and provide support and other resources for you and your family.

10. Contact other non-profit missing child organizations and state clearing-houses in adjacent states. Register your missing child and find out what other search assistance and support services they can provide.

11. Check to ensure your child does not have his or her passport so as to not provide the ability for the child to be taken out of the country

http://www.amberalert.com/child_missing.php

If Your Child is Missing

Act immediately if you believe that your child is missing.

If your child is missing from home, search the house checking closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds, inside old refrigerators—wherever a child may crawl or hide.

If you still cannot find your child, immediately call your local law-enforcement agency.

If your child disappears in a store, notify the store manager or security office. Then immediately call your local law-enforcement agency. Many stores have a Code Adam plan of action—if a child is missing in the store, employees immediately mobilize to look for the missing child.

When you call law enforcement, provide your child's name, date of birth, height, weight, and any other unique identifiers such as eyeglasses and braces. Tell them when you noticed that your child was missing and what clothing he or she was wearing.

Request that your child's name and identifying information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File.

After you have reported your child missing to law enforcement, call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). If your computer is equipped with a microphone and speakers you may talk to one of our Hotline operators via the Internet

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=244

[BeHereNow]

78. Every parent MUST have links! Thanks!

Those are GREAT Sapphire- I will send them on to
every parent I know.
BHN

[justinsb]

79. She did, police are on their way

[Sapphire Blue]

102. The AMBER Alert Portal & NCMEC have valuable info on what to do WHEN

... contacting the police. At the age of 15, police might assume that her son is just being a 'typical' rebellious or irresponsible teenager. VLR portrays her son's current behavior (missing w/o contact) as abnormal... it's important that the police are aware that this is abnormal behavior.

This advice on the AMBER Alert Portal...

6. Help the police really know your child as you do. The police receive many false alarms, so have someone - your pastor, child's school teacher or principal, or a person in the community with name recognition who knows your child - call and attest to your child's integrity.

... could be particularly helpful.

[blondeatlast]

82. Thank you for those invaluable links. Duly bookmarked.

May none of us ever have the need for them, amen.

[LuCifer]

76. CALL THE POLICE PLEASE

As the son of an ex-cop, you knew I was going to say that right!?
You can NEVER be too safe when it comes to something like this.
:hi: :hug:
Lu

[justinsb]

80. Police are on their way

[nashville_brook]

81. from a former rowdy teenager -- my heart goes out to you

i hope he's just "being bad."

please keep us posted!

[Lex]

84. Keeping good thoughts going for you, Viva.

:grouphug:

[AmBlue]

87. As a mom, I would say...

Don't delay a minute. You know your boy. You know your gut. Sounds like something's not right and if I were you I would call the police. NOW.

[rumpel]

88. Kicking with prayers..

[Viva_La_Revolution]

89. FOUND - NOW KEEP ME FROM KICKING HIS *SS!!

spent the night at 9MMpizza's house. "oh, I guess he should have told you. He just left a few min ago." He's is sooooo lucky that the is headed to his Dad's instead of over here.

I have no idea what got into him but believe me, he won't do it again. Guilt works wonders on that one. He's too empathic for it not to. That sense must have been stuck on 'off' last night. Damn teenagers!

Thank you. It sounds sappy.... but you really did keep me from going off the deep end.

edited to add: I am so feeling the DUluv! :grouphug:

[silverlib]

92. Wow! I'm so happy he is okay.

I have a teenager - bless you and yours.

[justinsb]

93. Yeah!!!!!!

Woohoo!!! Glad to hear that Viva. :hug: Get that boy a cell phone (after you kick his *ss) of course.

[johnnie]

94. Glad to hear he is safe

He needs to read this thread.

[blondeatlast]

116. AGREED. Make him read this thread, absolutely.

Great advice, johnnie.

[AmBlue]

95. Thank God!!!

Bonk him once for us!! (just kidding) WHAT A RELIEF!

[johannes1984]

97. good

happy he's all right .

[bowens43]

98. I am very happy for you!!

[Danmel]

101. Thank God he is OK

Now you're going to have to kill him! j/k but man- give that boy a good talking to. I have a 14 year old girl- I hope she never pulls anything like that- I'd be frantic- Glad everyone is OK.

[Misunderestimator]

103. WHEW! Oh man... I would be sooooo pissed.

Thank god he's ok.

[annabanana]

104. BIG whew!!!

If one of my boys ever vanished overnight I'd be insane! Hallelujah on his safe return... and maybe you should let him read this thread..

[in_cog_ni_to]

105. OMG. Thank G-D he's OK!

You must be so relieved! I know I am! Whew.

Ground him for LIFE! ;)

[Individualist]

123. Amen to both comments. nt

[Lone_Star_Dem]

106. Thank goodness!

I'm glad he's safe. Now if I were you I'd kill him! LOL! No, really, impress on him how much he scared you and take some of his privileges until he knows how good he does have it, would be my thoughts.

:hug:

[Pirate Smile]

107. Thank God and he deserves to get his ass kicked some.

[seabeyond]

108. yea and good for all...........breathe out, kids

geez. cant live with them, cant live without

one more breathe out

[LuCifer]

109. PWEH! GOOD!

Thank you gods of the pit!

ATTENTION CHILD ABDUCTORS/MOLESTORS: PLEASE KILL YOURSELVES NOW!

About 10 years ago, I totally zoned and forgot to leave a note/call anyone, that I was spending that night at my fiends house. Ya know, being wook up at 7 AM the next morning when my fiend's dad says "YOUR PARENTS CALLED THE COPS ON YOU" is really NOT FUN! Talk about a serious buzz-kill! I'm like, WHAT THE HELL! I DIDN'T DO IT, WHATEVER IT WAS, I DIDN'T DO IT! Oh wait, well, yeah, I forgot to write a note and shit...OK FINE! Now here's what kills me, the LAST person that my parents think to call IS THE MY BEST FRIEND WHO I ALWAYS HUNG OUT WITH! I'm like, you're kidding me right!? But I'm ok, and sorry to the PD! Talk about something that makes ya feel STUPID! "OK, SPENDING NIGHT AT HOMEBOY's! LATER!" Duh!

Lu

[PleadTheFirst]

110. Awesome, Viva

I've been on edge since I first read your post. Glad to hear he turned up safe and sound!

[eissa]

111. Phew!

I would have been a basket case if I were you -- the thoughts that rushed through my mind :scared:

I won't tell you to bonk your kid, but if it was mine he would need surgery to remove my shoe from his ass!

[IdaBriggs]

112. Yeah! Now KICK HIS *SS, and give him a drug test.

They cost $5 and dollars to donuts, you are being tested -- no one "forgets" for to call Mom for THAT long! Good luck! :) Best, Ida

[Minstrel Boy]

114. great news! n/t

[blm]

117. Wow...I'm relieved for you...but damn, so sorry for what you went through.

.

[IndyOp]

118. Thank God!

And what kind of weird parents would name a kid '9MMpizza'?

:wtf:

[BeHereNow]

119. SHOW HIM THIS THREAD! GUILT WORKS WONDERS

Pull out the guilt card-
Show him how many people were frantic about his
safety...guilt, guilt, guilt.
:evilgrin:
Mothers are allowed to use any method within
reason to modify and prevent this type of behavior.
Oh, and you now have the right to ask for mandatory point
"a" to point "b" check in and ALL of his computer passwords.

Tell him if he hever pulls this again, he will have to
answer to BHN who was SICK with worry.
He can talk to my daughter and she will assure him
he doesn't want to go there...

Joyous to hear he is okay.
BHN

[blondeatlast]

122. Wonderful news! Whew--all us mothers are breathing now.

And again; trust your parenting skills and wisdom. You will know how to handle this!

[BeHereNow]

127. I told VLR to tell her son that if this happens again

He will have to deal with DU and the mom called BHN-
I think all of the DU moms should tell him that he will
have to deal with ALL of the DU moms if he ever does it again!

Now there is a deterrent to future episodes!
If you were a 15 year old, would YOU want to
deal with a pack of DU moms?
Making the checkin phone call would be MUCH preferable...
BHN

[blondeatlast]

135. And we'll call in the MMOB for reinforcements!

http://www.themmob.com/

[GeekMonkey]

152. some of us stepfathers were short of breath as well

[nashville_brook]

124. omg -- i'm so glad!

now go and do something nice for yourself. you've had a terrible 24 hours!

[loftycity]

130. Yes!

What a nerve wracking horrible time you had!! sounds like he will never do that again...
Really glad he is just fine...

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

131. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy he's been found!!!!

[snacker]

132. That's wonderful news...

every parent here knows the range of emotion you are going through. So glad everything worked out for you. Hugs to ALL of you.

[GiovanniC]

133. Glad to Hear He's Okay

And if you decide to kick his ass I will conveniently look the other way.

[faithnotgreed]

137. good on you! kids should know that they better at least tell their mom

where they are - esp if its overnight and they havent told you!

give him heck then give him a hug. so glad he is ok

[Pachamama]

139. Phew....what a relief! I was so worried for you and for him...

Now - hug him and tell him how much you love him....:hug:

Then go kick his a** and ground him for a week! :spank:

[TayTay]

140. Thank goodness he's okay

Now you, bubblebath, DVDs and some stress-relieving music.

One Mom to another.

I have two teenagers and get the line, "Don't worry so much, I'm old enough to...."

And oh yeah, hugs.

[Sapphire Blue]

141. Thank you so much for the good news... I'm so glad he's ok!

:hug:

[JHB]

142. Hurray! And you're grounded, Mister!...

...or whatever you deem a suitable punishment.

Glad it was just another case of teenage dumbness.

[paula777]

143. I'm so happy for this outcome. I was really worried ......

Yell at him, no ass kicking though

[FreedomAngel82]

144. Good to hear!!!

:hug:

[m_welby]

145. really good to hear he turned up.

It sounds like you are about to have your hands full though, at 15 they really start struggling with adulthood and drive PARENTS NUTS. I have a 24 and a 17, both boys and both try my patience relentlessly.

If it isn't some lunkhead/dumbass stunt then its the girlfriend's.

The only thing I can tell you about kicking his ass is that it probably won't do any good, he might not do this again, but believe me next time it'll be something just as brainless. Your only hope is that their kids will do the same to them (and you get to watch and laugh).

[slackmaster]

146. Great news

He's alive and well, and testing his limits as should all adolescents.

:toast:

[myrna minx]

148. What a relief.

:hug:

[intheflow]

149. Really happy to hear he's ok!

Here's a PTSD hug for you: :hug:

Here's one for your son: :hug:

And here's a little something else for him: :spank:

Not that I can talk since I did the exact same thing to my parents when I was 15--just took off. Wait, now that I think of it, I did that to them twice! Now, as a parent, I can't believe my parents didn't beat the crap out of me.

And of course you know I'm not really advocating hitting your child. That was just a bit of macabre humor after knowing the situation came out ok. What the hell--here's another relief hug for you: :hug:

[cynatnite]

150. Hug the hell out of him then ground him till he's 25

for putting you through hell.

Glad he's safe and sound.

[GeekMonkey]

151. all i feel is relief, i'll let you plan your own revenge

i have a 15 yr old stepson and he's pretty headstrong

he doesnt want to risk an ass whipping form me tho

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

153. I love happy endings replete with ass kickings

:hug:

[Momgonepostal]

154. I'm so glad he's home, the little turkey! nt

[knowbody0]

156. been thinkin about you all day

so glad he's back. good luck making him understand what he's done. been through this with my woman child.

[rumpel]

160. Good for you. You should kick his *SS! I had to go and could not check in

until now. i was thinking about it all day. I am so glad you found him.:grouphug:

let's all keep an unwelcome eye on them. There is too much trouble for anyone at any age to trodd in nowadays.


Sigh of relief.

[mainer]

91. I raised two boys ... I've been there too, and feel for you!

My sons used to pull this sort of thing. They'd go to a friend's house, forget to call, and then fall asleep. And because they're teenagers, they wouldn't wake up until way into the next afternoon, having not a SINGLE DAMN CLUE that their mom and dad were having nervous breakdowns.

I'm glad you called the police, but I have a feeling (having experienced it myself) that your boy is just sleeping off a long night of playing video games on some friend's living room floor.

Breathlessly awaiting more word about your boy...

[mainer]

96. Hey, while i was typing, you gave us the news!

I'm so relieved!

[SmokingJacket]

99. Ye gods, I have two boys too...

But they're only 8 and 5. How am I going to make it through the next 12 years...? How do you guys do it???? :crazy:

[seabeyond]

113. lol lol 10 and 7......here. was thinking the same, lol

ah well, alls well that ends well

mine are still just so eaaaaasy

[justinsb]

121. I have 2 girls 12 and 10

not much looking forward to it either. The 12 year old is getting a cell phone next week so she's never 'out of touch'

[SmokingJacket]

100. Thank GOODNESS.

I'm so relieved for you.............

[BamaBecky]

115. WOW...what a scare!.....n/t

[seabeyond]

120. so funny. my 7 year old was leaning up on me getting kisses

and reading what i had typed about having a 10 and 7u year old. started asking why. took him to viva's first post and read. lol lol then showed all the way down the concern. then got to the found, keep me from kicking his ass. (by now my ten year old is in hear listening).........all down the line thank go, yea, he is safe.........kick his ass

now my boys are laughing. down to the thread of people with w=two boys too

was the funniest. they swear they would never do something so stupid. ya right. wait til 15 comes.

but was fun
and cute
so viva, you may have given me an opportunity not to have to experience this. a thank you ahead of time

[Donailin]

125. no

Did he say he was going to spend the night at his friends house?

[progressoid]

128. Thinking the best for you

[Viva_La_Revolution]

134. Please, everyone....

Make your kids read this thread too, no matter how old they are.

then give them a hug.


Now, excuse me while I go insert my foot somewhere...

[seabeyond]

136. Now, excuse me while I go insert my foot somewhere...

bah hahahah


wouldnt hurt your son to read it too. to see all the love ready to be given

i hear ya. as i said above, my boys and i had an interesting time reading

[King Coal]

155. God Bless you, Viva.

[TrogL]

138. My daughter went missing last week

She claimed to be at a female friend's place. Said friend when contacted said she wasn't there and had no idea what we were talking about.

Turns out she was at her boyfriend's brother's place (with the boyfriend) because she thought I didn't like her being there and didn't like the brother (actually, I do, I just don't want her there without boyfriend).

[quisp]

147. whew! I'm glad to hear he's ok...

I didn't post but was watching the thread.

[cally]

157. Thank god he's OK

Been there a couple of times and it's horrible. You should find out if there was drinking or drugs involved. There wasn't with mine (that I know), but you need to find out. :hug:

[roguevalley]

158. THANK GOODNESS! A good ending! Now, let us go get drunk together

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

159. So glad to hear that he is OK

I pulled this cr*p on my parents when I was young - now 30 years later with a kid of my own, I understand what I put them through.

Get him a cell phone and ground him for a week !!!