Your child's rebellion, which ultimately led to his leaving home, may have begun in school.

A child who plans to leave home, or who has already done so, is likely to announce the fact to his friends. This news spreads like wildfire, and the child is an instant hero in school. After all, other children may have fantasized about leaving. They may have heard about the excitement that it causes or the possibility of receiving the attention that they crave. The child who leaves home will be questioned, as an authority about how to manage, survive, live, obtain money, and so on. His treatment as a hero will "prove" that he did the right thing.

The school authorities are not likely to return the child to his home. They may have one or more of the following considerations and thoughts:

• Perhaps the child's reasons for leaving are justified
• Perhaps it is more important to assure that the child survives and manages
• Perhaps it is more important to assure that the child's schoolwork and homework are handled properly
• Perhaps it is best to prevent the child from becoming a disruptive force in the school or in the classroom

As a result, they may opt to quiet the situation rather than to repair the damage.

These approaches, or others, are likely to be determined by the orientation of the school.