How to Find a Camp for Troubled Teens

As parents, we all dread the possibility that our wonderful young child could become a troubled teen who rejects our attempts at help. If your teen has become truly uncontrollable and you are in fear of having to involve law enforcement, consider a camp for troubled teens. The following steps will help you find such a camp to put you all on the road to a brighter future.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Meet with the other authority figures in the child's life to get a clear picture of the behaviors and issues that need to be addressed. These other authority figures could include teachers, coaches, friends' parents, church youth directors or scout leaders.
2. Research troubled teen camps such as Boot Camps for Teens and Aspen Education Group on the Internet, narrowing down the choices to those that cover the issues that need your teen needs to have addressed.
3. Consider the financial aspect of troubled teen camps as the private ones can be quite pricey. There are only a few boot camps that are free and they are all state run.
4. Compare the differences between boot camps, wilderness camps and alternative summer camps. Each kind offers a different approach to problems with teens from the stricter, army-like, tough-love bootcamps to the more laid-back alternative summer camps.
5. Choose a couple of the top camps meeting all your family's criteria and contact them to get more information. The more information you have, the greater the fit will be for your teen.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to find the best camp for your child to help address his specific issues more effectively.
• Choose a camp away from your local area to help the child meet new peers and new positive influences.
• Ask the camp director if their camp administers medications. Many boot camps do not take children who are on medications.