Camps for Troubled Teens are typically military-style institutions or boarding schools based
on forced discipline, designed for the
purpose of redirecting troubled teens that have problems
with authority. Most people think in terms of the very structured and military type of camp. Actually there are several types of camps to which a parent can enroll their troubled boy or girl. There are Academic Camps, Wilderness Camps, Christian Camps, All girls camps (which focus on activities for girls), all boys camps (which focus on activites for boys, such as football, baseball, soccer, etc...s), and of course the most popular Military or Boot Camps.
Since the most prevelant camp that exists is the Military Camp or Boot Camp, we will focus our comparison and constrasting to that style. The theory behind the boot camp program
is that military-style discipline will teach discipline
and structure, mainly through military exercises and
rigorous physical training. The truth is that this
type of program rarely works. As a matter of fact,
a boot camp style program can turn a molehill of trouble
into a mountain of disaster. Through the boot camp
experience teens do learn discipline and structure, but
once they leave the confines of the boot camp program
they return to their old behavior with a vengeance.
Why? Because there is no internal transformation through
forced intrusion. True internal change can only come
through a relationship with Jesus Christ. You can
tame the flesh by force, but to change the heart it
takes Jesus!
To us, a troubled teen is not a thug,
a thief, a gangster, a criminal, violent, defiant
toward all authority, or any other description that
describes someone with a mental disorder. When we
use the term "troubled teen" we really mean
a "spoiled brat". We mean to describe a kid who has
every possible resource available to make something
out of him/herself, yet all they want to do is hang
out with negative friends and "run their own show".
We are referring to kids that have been blessed, gifted,
and very talented but are wasting their God-given
potential trying to emulate the latest rapper. This
kid is only interested in how he/she is viewed by
his/her friends, and cares nothing of their parents
and how they feel. With these boys and girls of kids therapy
doesn't work, it just makes them worse. Why? Because
being a troubled teen is not a mental disorder, and
therapy rarely works with kids anyway. Furthermore,
this is a spiritual condition, and not a mental health
issue. It is also an emotional immaturity issue,
not a lack of therapy. These troubled teens don't
need a therapist; they need a sense of reality, discipline, and a sense of appreciation for the
blessings they have. These kids suffer from the disease
of "entitlementitis". Entitlementitis is a disease
associated with prolonged exposure to unearned prosperity
combined with numerous parental rescues. It comes
from living in a society where everything is expected
instantaneously, without effort. Entitlementitis can
only persist in an environment where accountability
is disregarded, and blaming others is always the "special
of the day". Entitlementitis is the biggest epidemic
since polio, and twice as devastating.
We are a society geared towards entertainment.
Kids today demand to be entertained at all times and
we give it to them. Young boys and girls have it all, video
players, Playstation 2s, CD's, DVD's and MP3's. We
give them dance lessons, take them to Tae Kwon Do,
and buy them anything they want. Unfortunately, by
the time they are 12 they have no idea what reality
is. They are never satisfied, and always demand
more. We are compelled to buy them happiness. If we
think it will make them happy, we give it to them.
We want our children to be happy so bad that we are
willing to destroy them to make them happy. We
are taking all the pain out of life, the kind of pain
that we all need to go through in order to grow and
mature.
These kids need a wake up call. They
need discipline, and to learn to work hard for what they
want to achieve. They need to stop making excuses, stop blaming
others, and take responsibility for
their own life. They need a dose of reality, and they
need to grow up. They need to become considerate toward
others, exercising compassion for those who are less
fortunate. If you prescribe a drug or provide therapy
and expect to overcome immaturity, you are fooling
yourselves. They need to learn to wait, to serve others,
and be trusted and become thankful for all that they
have.
There is an answer, and His name
is Jesus. God is calling parents of this nation to
drawn a line in the sand, and begin to repent from
our mistakes and allow Him to restore our children.
It is not too late. We can stop the progression of
the disease called "entitlementitis"! What we first
need to do is stop what we have been doing for a long time.
Stop rescuing your child. Stop giving him/her excuses.
Let him/her take responsibility for his/her choices.
It is time to relearn, restore, and redeem what has
been lost. We need to get down on our knees and ask
for forgiveness and cry out to God for wisdom. We
need to come together, as the Body of Christ, and
make a clean cut from the ways of the world. We have
to surrender, and get ready to make some sacrifices.
True prosperity will come to those who seek the Kingdom
of God and His righteousness first. We need to return
to the right priorities, and that is to live a life surrendered
to the will and purpose of God.
Abundant Life Academy is a powerful
Christian boarding school for troubled teens. ALA
serves the troubled teen that is lying to his/her
parents, sneaking out without permission, coming home
late, and gets angry when challenged. The typical
ALA student is smart, strong-willed, and able to talk
him/herself out of trouble. This child is in the grip
of some terrible friends who place no value in Christian
values and is turning away from his/her parents. ALA
is an early-intervention school for the troubled teen
who needs immediate redirection.
