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Should I send my child to a boarding school or a teen boot camp?

parents with daughter happyWhat amount of moodiness is normal for a teen? How much deviant behavior can a parent expect from an “average” teenager? At what point should a parent hear alarm bells in regards to their teen’s behavior. On one hand, parents see the potential in their children more so than the neighbors or even the High School guidance counselor. Deep down, parents know their children from birth and know that somewhere that amazing little child still exists. Seeing your teen in turmoil can be very disheartening.
 
How do you know if your child needs a boot camp?The answer is different for every family because no two teens go through the exact same troubles. However, there are telltale signs that behavior problems have become difficult to control. Depression, even in teens, can be debilitating. The truth is, if you’re unhappy with the decisions your child is making, chances are that he’s probably unhappy, too. Even the most rebellious teens are gluttons for self-control and it can become a battle of wills to see who ends up making life decisions for him. The same stubborn willfulness that makes a great entrepreneur also makes a rebellious teen. Boot Camp boarding schools can help your child decide to manage his life better.

Away from the emotional life in a traditional home, in a new and fresh setting, boot camps help teens reinvent themselves. Some parents mistakenly fear that their children will be subject to a loveless, cold-hearted institutionalized existence, but these programs wouldn’t work if that were true. A therapeutic program for young adults that specializes in working with teens with emotional and behavioral issues is the best alternative to a teen boot camp.  These therapeutic programs like therapeutic boarding schools or residential treatment centers aim for a communal feeling where teens, teachers and counselors live and work in a respectful, cooperative environment. From the time they wake up each day until the time they go to bed teens are immersed in a culture of people who expect them to contribute to their micro-society, and respect them for doing so. It’s a dynamic that our modern culture can’t duplicate because so often our culture expects teens to be lazy and self-indulgent.

Warning Signs Your Teenager Needs A “Boot Camp”  Therapeutic Program

There are warning signs that your teen might be at a higher risk and that boot camp could be a necessity. Sometimes something that starts off as a small problem can become larger than life and teens, heck even adults, simply don’t know how to stop the bus. It often starts with small signs of distress and builds up to larger subconscious cries for help. Is your child failing in school, sexually promiscuous, obsessed with weight or body image, a daredevil, abusive toward animals, violent toward their siblings, subject to weekly or daily mood swings, having a hard time making friends, blaming others for the consequences of their own negativity, manipulative, or simply refusing to participate?

Therapeutic boarding schools for troubled teens usually have an initial assessment for families who wonder if their teen is in need of a boarding school. Some offer web-based quizzes, with confidential results, and many offer access to real counselor who can evaluate your situation and help you find the answers you need to help your troubled teen get back on track. It’s a comfort to many parents to know that quite often, the answer is no; most teens are not in need of a boot camp,  therapeutic boarding schoo or intense residential program.

Being a teen, breaking the ties of dependence and coming into your own adulthood is typically a difficult time. Simply knowing that you care enough to ask is a good sign. With parental support, most teens grow up into the responsible adults all around you. Surely you can recall a difficult period in your youth. Teen Boot Camps website counselors love turning lives around, and thrive upon the challenges of empowering teens to make better decisions. Find out if your child needs a help by speaking to a Teen Boot Camp Counselor, by exploring the resources and assessment options available from boot camp boarding schools.

 

Do you believe your child needs help, does he or she need "a lesson" or "to get some discipline"?
Boot Camps for Troubled Teens Are Not the Answer.
We DO NOT endorse teen boot camps because they were proven ineffective and dangerous. Learn More!

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We understand this is a difficult time for you.   Sadly we do not know of any free programs.  

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