When I was 6 years old, I decided it was necessary to run away.I wasn’t happy with the way my parents were running things around the house. I had a bedtime. I didn’t get to watch Three’s Company. And, to top it off, I had to brush my teeth and comb my hair every night. Absolutely absurd rules and expectations.I called shenanigans on them.
I packed up my Snoopy suitcase, hooked the trailer up to my pedal tractor and decided I would be leaving that afternoon.
Before I walked out of the house, I wanted to make my mom aware of this new plan. I told her I was running away and made sure she realized I might not come back. Unless she begged me to stay and promised there would be changes.Neither happened.
Instead, she got out the camera, handed me a coat (thoughtful) and told me to wait a second so she could come out with me and snap a picture. Parenting at it’s finest. She’s taught me all I know.
My dad was at work, so he wasn’t there to give me a push on the tractor tell me to stop pedaling down the driveway. The only person who seemed like they would remotely miss me was my sister. She stood in front of the door, arms stretched to each side, trying to block me from leaving. All the while, crying that she didn’t want me to go.Well, I knew my sister had no control over the house rules, so the fact she wanted me to stay, made no difference in my plight.
I hopped on my tractor, smiled of course for the photo op, and headed down our driveway. We had a LONG driveway. I made it down the initial incline pretty quickly, being that it was downhill and all.
When I actually had to start pedaling, I got a little tired. I made it to the end of the driveway and found myself quite winded. Running away was proving to be hard work and I also started to miss my mom.So, I did what every rebellious runaway does, I turned around and went back home.
I pedaled back up the steep 2% incline and pulled back into the garage. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a welcome committee when I returned from my 5 minute escape.The rules didn’t change. John Ritter did not become a part of my night time routine. My hair was combed perfectly and my teeth glistened every night as I climbed into bed.From that moment on, I never tried to run away again. The fear of breaking a sweat can sure take the wind right out of your sail.
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This post was for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop. I chose prompt #2 – That time you ran away from home.
May 4, 2011 at 10:22 pm
I wasn’t allowed to watch Three’s Company either. I thought my parents were very mean. As it turns out, they merely had excellent taste in television.Whenever I threatened to run away, they’d offer to help me pack.They were helpful like that.Isn’t it wonderful to see bits of them in yourself now?And also a little scary. But mostly wonderful.Nothing like family love. (especially that sister of yours. not sure mine would’ve begged me to stay
May 4, 2011 at 11:03 pm
It is scary to see, but wonderful as well. I’m still shocked my sister tried to stop me!
May 5, 2011 at 12:23 am
ahh, great story! very well written! that picture is adorable.
May 5, 2011 at 7:29 am
Thank you!
Twitter: Mytimeasmom
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May 5, 2011 at 1:32 am
I don’t know if you had a dog or not but if you did you should have hitched the tractor to the dog and had him pull you.I remember my mom used to say we had to have a pbj sandwich if we were going to run away.
May 5, 2011 at 7:29 am
No dog. Haven’t we talked about how much I fear animals? It’s a huge stretch that we have a cat. HUGE! Good idea on your mom’s part – I could’ve used a pbj after all that pedaling!
May 5, 2011 at 1:46 am
Funny, I never once tried to run away from home.Oh, and I LOVED “Three’s Company”. Jack Tripper cracked me up.
May 5, 2011 at 7:28 am
That was my one and only attempt!
May 5, 2011 at 1:49 am
I’m sure your mom took the picture just in case the authorities asked for it during the extensive search they’d launch – like if you were gone for more than half an hour.Great post!
May 5, 2011 at 7:27 am
Wow. She was genius then for taking that picture!
May 5, 2011 at 1:55 am
Lesson learned. Do not buy your children one of those battery operated tractors. Without the pedaling and with your genes you never know what would come of it.
May 5, 2011 at 7:27 am
Exactly. Always make them pedal.
May 5, 2011 at 2:11 am
First of all- LOVE Three’s Company! I’d run away if I couldn’t watch it, too!Also, you had me literally LOL’ing- great story! &I love that you not only had the photo to go with it, but knew where it was! How awesome.
May 5, 2011 at 7:27 am
Thank you for agreeing with me on missing Three’s Company! Happy it made you laugh.
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
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May 5, 2011 at 3:06 am
LOL that was so cute. I love that picture. Your Mom is clearly a genius.
May 5, 2011 at 7:26 am
She is a genius! Thanks – that is one of my favorite pics from childhood.
May 5, 2011 at 3:31 am
Great runaway attempt.. I bet your mom knew you couldn’t really bear to really run away from the family.
May 5, 2011 at 7:25 am
She may have had a hint.
Twitter: sellabitmum
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May 5, 2011 at 6:24 am
You had a snoopy suitcase? And a tractor? Much better than Three’s Company. Of course now I can’t stop singing “come and knock on my door…we’ll be waiting for you…” Because I got to watch it! YAY ME!!!
May 5, 2011 at 7:25 am
You’ll have to fill me in someday on the show I missed out on. I loved my tractor. LOVED! However, it was a lot of work to pedal that thing.
May 5, 2011 at 7:26 am
This is SO funny. I loved Three’s Company and used to sneak and watch it in our basement. I wanted to be Crissy (scary idol to have). Anyway this is hilarious, I believe my mom helped me pack a time or two as well. But yours? She even took a picture… you would think she had a blog back in the day.
May 5, 2011 at 8:56 am
I would try to sneak down our stairs to watch it too! Never worked.
You would think she was a blogger – she was very good at documenting all the crazy things I did.
May 5, 2011 at 7:33 am
I kept a packed bag in my closet from age 4 until about 16 (when I finally realized life without my parents sorta stunk) in case I needed to make a quick getaway. The Dudes are always threatening to “pack up and just leave this place”. I like to remind them that if I bought it’s mine and they don’t need to worry about packing up. At least they can travel light that way!
May 5, 2011 at 8:55 am
I’m still waiting for my oldest to give me the “running away” threat…I’m sure it’s coming soon!
May 5, 2011 at 7:37 am
I loved Three’s Company! I was allowed to watch though….no idea why!
May 5, 2011 at 8:54 am
Maybe I’ll have to rent it someday!
May 5, 2011 at 7:47 am
How cute! I think that I made the same attempt around that age too, but I can’t remember the reasons why I was running away!I used to watch Three’s Company, but it must have been later when I was older. I liked Mr. Ferly! Don Knotts his hilarious!
May 5, 2011 at 8:54 am
I think running away was something all young girls attempting…we must have been dramatic!
Twitter: laurenweber84
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May 5, 2011 at 7:55 am
What a hilarious story! Pedaling is hard, so I don’t blame you. I once tried to run away on my big wheel with a box of Cheerios in hand. The neighbors brought me home – I went kinda far…Now I wish my mom took a picture. We’ll have to remember to do that when our kids try to pull that stunt
May 5, 2011 at 8:53 am
Pedaling is hard! Oh, I’m sure I’ll be documenting, tweeting, blogging moments like this.
May 5, 2011 at 8:55 am
That is a cute story. What a smart mom! I’ll have to remember that when my boys decide to run away. It is hard work for sure.
May 5, 2011 at 11:59 am
I’m so glad she got a shot of it! Definitely hard work running away.
May 5, 2011 at 9:00 am
I almost wrote my post on this prompt. I actually ran away in winter all the way to the dog house at the back of the yard. Crawled in as far as I could get, but my moon boots stuck out the door. Epic Runaway Fail.
May 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm
hahah – moon boots! That attempt was a total fail – but so was mine.
May 5, 2011 at 9:24 am
Are you even kidding me? You didn’t even make it off the property? LOL
May 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm
The driveway was LONG! I swear.
May 5, 2011 at 10:16 am
I had thought about doing the same thing when I was little – but I don’t think I would have made it much further than you did either. Love the story!
May 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm
We could’ve pushed each other.
May 5, 2011 at 10:50 am
So cute, and what a perfect picture!
May 5, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Thank you!
Twitter: MissMarinaStar
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May 5, 2011 at 10:59 am
This is an adorable story! I can’t believe that picture.I also did some snooping around, this seems like a great place to spend a “timeout!”
May 5, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Thanks! Definitely a great place to spend it.
May 5, 2011 at 11:00 am
I LOVE that your mom took a picture of you running away!! And Three’s Company? Wish that show was still on!
May 5, 2011 at 12:02 pm
She was smart like that.
Twitter: amyplus1x3
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May 5, 2011 at 11:09 am
I read this last night and it cracked me up because my 6 year old threatened to run away yesterday. Pretty funny!Love the picture!
May 5, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Thanks! Well, if he’s like me – he won’t go far!
May 5, 2011 at 11:22 am
So funny! I love that your mom took a picture. I’m going to keep that one in my back pocket when my kids decide to run away!
May 5, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Definitely a fun moment to capture.
May 5, 2011 at 11:47 am
Your mom even took a picture of you before you “left”?! I like your mom! She must have been trying hard not to laugh!
May 5, 2011 at 10:18 pm
I’m sure she was grinning!
Twitter: beeswithhoney
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May 5, 2011 at 11:48 am
Your story cracked me up and I think it’s great that your Mom took a picture of the event so you can remember it and blog about it today! Kids are funny. I think the fact that your sister tried to stop you from leaving and was crying while you left means she loves you lots. That part of your story was SO sweet.
May 5, 2011 at 10:20 pm
Thanks! It was fun that she had a picture of it for sure.
May 5, 2011 at 11:56 am
I just loved the image you created in my mind of your mother snapping a picture. I would do the same thing. Too cute! Thank you for sharing. I love your blog!
May 5, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Thank you very much! That was nice of you to say.
May 5, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Very cute story. I think my mom would have reacted similarly. She’d have probably helped me pack my suitcase
May 5, 2011 at 8:09 pm
You never know how our moms will react.
Twitter: galitbreen
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May 5, 2011 at 2:26 pm
OMG LOVE- love the photo, the Snoopy suitcase, the ode to Three’s Company! *Such* a cute story! XO
May 5, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Thanks, Galit! XO to you, too.
Twitter: mamatrack
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May 5, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Love this! I ran away too. I was a bit younger and tried it on foot. With a suitcase. I made it around the corner before I sat down.
May 5, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Phew on foot? That would take a lot of energy as well!
May 5, 2011 at 2:52 pm
So cute! I love the picture! Sounds like the rules were just awful at your house
May 5, 2011 at 8:10 pm
Completely unacceptable!
May 5, 2011 at 5:29 pm
that is the funniest and cutest thing EVAH! You brought back memories with Three’s Company!
May 5, 2011 at 8:10 pm
Thanks! Rub it in…
May 5, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Hah – I wasn’t allowed to watch Three’s Company, either! It was the only show my parents ever banned from me. And when I finally did see it, I realized I hadn’t missed anything.
May 5, 2011 at 8:10 pm
Funny what we were banned from…pretty sure it would be really tame nowadays!
May 5, 2011 at 9:03 pm
yeah i didnt get very far at that age either! great story!
May 5, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Yah, I was pretty tired.
Thanks!
May 5, 2011 at 9:28 pm
A picture! I wouldn’t have thought of that!
August 19, 2011 at 7:25 am
I love that my mom did!
May 5, 2011 at 9:50 pm
I love that she took a pic! Adorable!
May 5, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Thanks, Shell!
May 5, 2011 at 9:51 pm
I so did this when I was about 5 years old & I took my little sister who was 3 with me! It was hilarious!Maryann packed a pillow & a TYPEWRITER in her bag! hahahaha! And I had a blanket & some toys. Oh & we ran away to the playground across the street. lol One time we tried to run away to the grocery store but that was the one that we got in major trouble for, because we had to cross a busy street.You look pretty darn cute on your tractor!
May 5, 2011 at 10:22 pm
I’m cracking up that your sister packed a typewriter! That is so hilarious!
May 5, 2011 at 11:40 pm
what a fab role model you had! and that picture is the bees knees.
August 19, 2011 at 7:25 am
Thanks! I love that pic.
Twitter: LittleMsP
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May 6, 2011 at 12:37 am
Great story and pic! I don’t think I ever tried to run away but if I had I’m sure my daddy would have thought of some thing to do to help me or rather help me realize the error of my way after I attempted such a feat (this was the guy who told me kidnappers would return me in 5min flat and pay him for the trouble. he of course did warn me of strangers and such that was just my daddy’s way)Thanks for sharing! Visiting from Mama Kats =)
August 19, 2011 at 7:26 am
Obviously, my parents were totally ready to help me!
Twitter: FarewellStrangr
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May 6, 2011 at 10:47 am
Oh man, the fact that you have a picture of this is just priceless!I wonder how far we’d let our kids get these days? Much scarier to think of letting them go a few blocks on their own now.
May 6, 2011 at 4:13 pm
It is kind of scary. I love that I have this pic – we laugh at it all the time!
May 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm
LOVED reading this!! Your mom is one smart lady
May 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm
She definitely is!
May 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm
I remember packing to run away and then remembering I wouldn’t have any place to sleep and I was afraid of the dark so I unpacked…sigh…
May 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Afraid of the dark probably would’ve brought me right back home if I hadn’t been so tired!
May 6, 2011 at 5:30 pm
I totally love the fact your mom went to get a camera. Between that and what a great daughter she raised, she’s my kinda mom! Happy Mother’s Day.
August 19, 2011 at 7:26 am
She’s hilarious! I’m sure she documented the whole process!
May 7, 2011 at 12:42 am
LOL, I love this! Great that you have the pic to go with the memory (although a bit patronizing to an aspiring runaway). I tried to runaway when I was about the same age. Had my little suitcase packed up and I was headed to grandma’s house. I sat on the curb in front of our house trying to figure out how I was going to get there when eventually I gave up and went back inside. I don’t remember why or how long I was out there, but I do remember it was more work than I thought it would be
August 19, 2011 at 7:27 am
It definitely is a lot of work! Maybe if we’d done it together, we would’ve been more successful.
May 7, 2011 at 11:36 am
LOL. Isn’t it funny that as young children we really do believe we’re right and our parents give us this time to go, but we always came back.I ran away all the time to the bridge but I wasn’t allowed to cross the water so I always came home.
August 19, 2011 at 7:28 am
There’s a bridge that would’ve gotten in my way as well. I just didn’t get that far.
Twitter: TheDanaK
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May 7, 2011 at 3:57 pm
BAHAHAHAHA! I love that she had the foresight to get a picture of you running away. That is so awesome.I ran away once. Mom helped me pack my clothes in my blankie, which I then tied TO A STICK hobo-style. I ran all the way across the back yard to my grandparents’ house and asked my Nana to run my bath water. She told me no, so I went back home.
August 19, 2011 at 7:29 am
I love the idea of a hobo stick. I just had too much to pack I guess! I was a bit of a high maintenance kid.
May 7, 2011 at 11:06 pm
Completely priceless. Pedal tractors are freaking heavy. No wonder you were winded!
August 19, 2011 at 7:29 am
They are heavy! I was so tired!
Twitter: SaidKristin
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May 7, 2011 at 11:22 pm
The fact that you stopped to smile for the camera as you were running away absolutely cracked me up. Such a cute story. I remember threatening to run away so many times growing up and always getting the same reaction – feigned concern and barely-contained amusement. Which was so irritating at the time. But it’s gonna be so hard to keep a straight face when my own daughter inevitably does the same thing one day.Found you through Mama Kat – you’re funny!
August 19, 2011 at 7:30 am
Thank you! I was a ham back then – just like I am now.
May 8, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Love this! So amazing that your mom took the photo. I’m glad it all worked out in the end and that incline didn’t send you barreling out into the street. Might have been tough to steer with all of that baggage.
August 19, 2011 at 7:30 am
Wow, I never thought of that. Maybe it is a good thing I got tired & gave up!
May 14, 2011 at 6:57 pm
I somehow missed this post originally…that is way too funny! Your mom knew what she was doing. Love the pic!
August 19, 2011 at 7:31 am
She definitely did – thanks!
May 17, 2011 at 10:46 pm
Here I thought I was the only deprived child to not be able to watch Three’s Company. Good to know there are more of us.Your mom sounds like a wise and funny woman.Stopping by from Time Travel Tuesday
August 19, 2011 at 7:31 am
Nope – I definitely was deprived of Three’s Company. Sad, sad times.