subject: Boot Camp For Boys [print this page] As a parent, you try your best to keep your child on the straight and narrow. However, despite your best efforts, sometimes your teen just gets into trouble. What are the signs that your son may be heading down the wrong path?
Frequently, dealing with these problems is simply too much for a parent. Many families find that a boot camp for boys might be what they need. But, how do you know what"s the right boot camp for your child?
Just like all forms of treatment, there are many different approaches. When it comes to boot camps for boys, there are two primary types: the tough love, military kind and the more therapeutic wilderness program.
A boot camp for troubled boys that utilizes a highly-regimented approach usually includes rigorous physical exercise and a military-like approach to discipline and rules. Authority figures usually incorporate lots of yelling and demands so as to reinforce a structured environment. The theory is that if the discipline is harsh enough and the expectations are high enough, a troubled teen will shape up and snap out of it. Unfortunately, the opposite is usually true.
Teens that attend a Boot Camp for Boys with a military-style approach frequently become more hostile and resentful. They come to respect authority figures less and, when not supervised, act out even more. Substituting a drill sergeant for a parent rarely yields positive results that last.
The other boot camp option is a wilderness program. Wilderness programs offer a more therapeutic approach to helping troubled teens. They combine therapy with lessons from the outdoors. This includes learning survival skills and communing with a natural environment. This type of boot camp for boys provides an environment that is more conducive to learning and functioning well with others. Studies have shown that a wildness program provides results that last longer than the traditional, military boot camp.
When a teen starts acting out, it"s easy to feel like the best course of action is to ship them off somewhere that will fix them. However, a troubled teen is not a car. There is not one right part that will remedy the problem.
Depending on the behaviors your son is exhibiting, there is not a cookie-cuter approach to selecting a boot camp. And, like is the case with most troubled teens, there is no quick fix. By choosing a boot camp that offers a more therapeutic approach, your teen won"t be yelled into a temporary state of submission. He will, instead, be able to learn more about himself and how to connect with others in a positive way. This type of self-exploration yields more positive and long-lasting results.
