Boot Camps for Troubled Teens
Boot camps are created for troubled teens who are disobedient, defiant, out of control, unruly and possess very bad or no manners. Boot camps are military-style schools where troubled teens are treated. Parents use boot camps when they have failed to deal with their teens themselves and have not found any other method for their child's behavior modification. They send their teens to boot camp to change their troubled teen’s behavior. At these boot camps, the theory is that these teens will learn discipline and structure through military exercises and stringent physical training. The purpose of these boot camps for troubled teens is to straighten-out the struggling youth and introduce some obedience and attitude changes within.
Boot Camps for teens are short-term programs, typically 30 to 35 days. Troubled Teens get into a good exercise routine during the boot camp. The teens that do not have any behavior or emotional problems can also get something out of boot camps. They can get relief from their tense schooling environment and they are able to experience a peaceful environment which may help give a little wake up call. Parents send their teens away to military boarding schools in the hope that the stern discipline and system of punishments and rewards will make their child conform more to the rules of school and society.
Boot camps are very similar to wilderness programs and some of them have grown in popularity. Parents send their troubled teens to boot camps in the hope that they will not be influenced by negative and bad behavior. However, teens that have developed bad habits over a long period of time would benefit more from long-term options that range from 9-16 months. Long-term programs have the ability to replace bad habits with positive, constructive habits that will benefit the teen throughout his or her life. Physical and mental evaluation should be done locally prior to sending your teen to a boot camp. Boot camps try to help a teen learn to deal with life without his or her medication. These camps seem to have a pretty good success rate with a philosophy based on structure and discipline.
The help that troubled teen boarding schools can get from boot camps are:
• Treatment for ODD, ADD and ADHD
• Help to control anger
• Help to gain self control, discipline and respect
• Suicidal tendencies
• Help for runaways
• Treating alcohol abuse
• Help with lying and stealing
• Help for teens who are failing in school
Teen Boot Camps are short term and due to their short term time period they do not provide adequate treatment. Due to their short term they do not fully address emotional and behavioral problems. The short time period of thirty days is not a long enough time for teens to make good changes in their behavior. Most boot camps do not provide uniforms for their cadets. A true teen boot camp will include uniforms, and instruct their cadets to march in formation with a "yes sir" and "no sir" mentality.
There are two types of boot camps, government-run and private. Private-run boot camps get more facilities in comparison to government-run boot camps. Therefore private boot camps are a better choice. A good program includes excellent academics, positive discipline methods within a structure of caring not punishing adults, and family counseling to maintain the positive changes that occurred during the program.
The Family Hope LIne offers the alternative to the traditional boot camp for troubled youth. Essentially, boot camps don't work, unless of course you intend for your child to be prepared to enter a combat zone with the US Military. It is true that while the troubled youth is actively participating in the therapeutic-style boot camp they will perform well, but as soon as they return home your troubled youth will be twice the monster they were before they entered. Why? Because the pressure to perform will no longer be there to compel the troubled youth to comply.. The problem with boot camps for troubled teens is that they are an external pressure and there is very little internal change. Typically, the student of a boot camp does not intellectually or emotionally grasp the importance of the value of change. They don't know why they should change their behavior, only that if they do comply with the pressure to perform they will be rewarded. This is called "behavioral modification". Behavioral modification works well with puppies (potty training), but is not effective with troubled teens. There is very little long-term benefits to the boot camp experience.