As a parent, one of the things that you may need to deal with at some point in time in time is a teenage child who is out of control. If this is the case with your teenage child, one of the things that you may want to consider doing is sending your child to boot camp. Here, we will take a closer look at some of the different questions that you may want to ask yourself before making the final decision to send your child to boot camp.
Is Your Teenage Child Out of Control?
The first and most important thing that you will want to consider is whether or not your teenage child is really out of control. Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for teenagers to get mixed up in the wrong crowd. The problem comes in once being a part of that crowd is taken to a whole other level, which involves your teenage child taking part in illegal activities, such as drugs and violence. If your teen’s attitude towards both life and family has entirely changed from positive to negative, then you should probably begin to worry. Of course, keep in mind that this is a huge difference between the average teenager, who may want to try out new things and rebel a bit from their parents or guardians.
Have You Tried Other Options For Your Teen?
Before you automatically decide to send your teenage child to boot camp, you might want to first consider some other alternative options. For example, if you haven’t yet tried separating your teenage child from his or her “bad” friends, then this is the first thing that you will probably want to consider. Although every parent would like to believe that their teen is telling them the truth, it can be hard to tell for sure, especially if he or she drives. Thus, the next preventative course of action that you may want to take is limiting your teenage child’s freedom by restricting car or cell phone usage and forcing him or her to get a job. Last, but certainly not least, you might want to consider enrolling your teen is a therapy program, whether it is an individual or family counseling program.
Why Does Boot Camp Seem Like the Best Option?
In most situations, parents use boot camp as a last resort when they no longer know what to do about their uncontrollable teenager, or pre-teenager. Before you make the final decision to send your child away to boot camp, you may want to think about why this seems like the best option in your situation. You should keep in mind that boot camp is not only known to be somewhat of a scare tactic, but it is also known to be very therapeutic for many teens. Depending on how uncontrollable your teenage child is, boot camp may be the best possible option available to you at this time. In some cases, it may even be more than necessary. No matter what the case is, you should know why you want to send your child to boot camp. Not only will this help you determine if boot camp is the best solution, but it will also play a part in how you explain your decision to your child.
Are You Ready For Your Teen to Be Angry?
Before you make the decision to send your child to boot camp, it is important to keep in mind that your teen is going to be mad or upset with you. It is likely that you will hear the words “I hate you,” among other things. Are you ready for your teen to be upset with you? It is also important to keep in mind that although you might not want to deal with your child being mad or upset with you, a trip to boot camp may still be necessary for your child to improve his or her future behavior. However, you may not want to send your teenage child to boot camp until you are absolutely ready to deal with an upset or angry teen.
What Type of Boot Camp Will You Choose?
If you’ve already decided that boot camp is the best possible option for your child and your family, the next thing that you will need to do is decide what type of boot camp your child will benefit from the most. There are so many different boot camps which are available for you to choose from, which mainly offer summer boot camp sessions. Some boot camps may specialize in alcohol counseling, while others may specialize in drug counseling. There are some which can be found in highly wooded settings, while others may be found in the country. Before deciding to send your child to a certain boot camp, it is best to look at all of your options, in order to determine what type of boot camp may be the most therapeutic and beneficial to your child in the long run.
These are just some of the many different things that you should be sure to take into consideration before making the decision to send your teenage or pre-teenage child to boot camp. While there is no doubt that the decision may be a very difficult one and you will probably deal with a lot of anger and hurt from your child, it is important to remember that in some situations boot camp may be a necessary option that will only benefit your child and family in the long run. Although your child may be mad at you now, it is likely that he or she will thank you in the long run.
