Can Teen Bootcamps Really Help Kids & Teens With Behavioral Issues?

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000197 EndHTML:0000005934 StartFragment:0000002381 EndFragment:0000005898 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/laura/Library/Mail Downloads/Articles - 8-21-09.doc

Teen bootcamps are designed to create a radical change in troubled youth.  A good camp can help even the most disrespectful, disobedient kid turn around his behavior and create respect for adult authority.

Most parents turn to boot camp as a last resort.  If you feel that you’ve tried everything and are at your wit’s end, this may be your only choice. After all, the worse thing a parent can do is give up on a child because this can have dire consequences, put your child into a downward spiral (even though outwardly, he seems to refuse your help) and destroy his entire life.

Most teens are rebellious at some point, but some kids are off the charts. If, for instance, you have a teen who has already been in trouble with the law, then you have a serious problem on your hands. If your child is defiant at home, then he is serving as a role model for younger children and training them to do the same. When you live in a house where there is constant fighting, then this can hurt your marriage and at the very least, destroy any sense of peace and happiness in your home.

Teen bootcamps can teach your child many things, but the most important lesson may be the discipline that is learned through the experience. The problem is that while your child will learn respect for adult authority (because discipline at the camp is enforced), this new-found respect may not necessarily transfer to you.

This is why I always recommend that parents try an alternative to teen bootcamps first by using an at-home behavioral program that was specifically developed to help troubled, defiant kids turn their lives around. In fact, the program was developed by a therapist who was once a troubled youth himself and knows from the inside out what it takes to turn a child around. He has helped countless kids with his program and in his practice.

The advantages of an at-home program over a boot camp is that the parent works with the child, learning ways of dealing with the child that will get results and help the kid make good choices that will make him want to keep doing better in the future. Best of all, as the

teen starts to feel better about his life, he will respect you for taking the time to help him change his behavior.

If you do decide that a teen boot camp is the way to go, make sure to check it out. Although most results are positive, in some cases, teens have died at these camps, so make sure you understand the program and the rules of discipline. Search online for comments from other parents about the camp and if you still have questions, the staff should be willing to answer your concerns.