(Undated) -- The latest numbers show children who run away from home in Minnesota account for about one-and-a-half-percent of the nation's total runaways. The average age is 16-- a time when children have a lot on their mind, just like their parents. Maureen Blaha with the National Runaway Switchboard says a child's reason for leaving is usually due to family dynamics and often includes a situation with a step parent. She adds that children usually take off in haste and forget their money and possessions.