Teens might act out and rebel against what they perceive to be too much authority from their parents. A child transitioning through the teen years is trying to discover who they are, and some feel like they need to do so without any help from their parents or any kind of structured activity, such as school.
These thoughts of rebellion might mean that teens are difficult to deal with, but parents need to be concerned when their teens start to become dangerous to themselves and those around them. Parents need to understand that as long as they offer a loving and supportive home, the actions of their troubled teens are not their fault. However, parents who fail to look into ways of guiding their teens back on the right path are only helping to compound the problem.
A Different Kind of Program
About one million troubled youth wind up in court every year, and some even find themselves confined to a hospital for their behavior. Reform schools, juvenile centers and halfway houses deal with some individuals, but in other cases they might just make the situation worse. A therapeutic boarding school might provide the solution to save your child’s future and bring your family back together.
In a therapeutic setting, the emphasis is moved from punishment to rehabilitation. Teens receive structure, psychological and emotional counseling, and an academic program that helps them to keep pace with the rest of their classmates. A child should find the help they need in a way that encourages their education and emotional development, which is why therapeutic centers might be a much better option for some rather than juvenile halls or reform schools.
What You Need to Know
Parents should know what to look for in these types of programs and what questions to ask. When you are considering a specific facility, you should:
- Make sure their promises for the treatment of your teen are in writing.
- Review and make sure the accreditation of the educational programs are by legitimate organizations.
- Ask for staff credentials for key staff members and then look up those credentials online to make sure they check out.
- Do a search for independent reviews of the facility online before making any decisions.
- Visit the facility for yourself and talk to the staff.
You should also insist on seeing proof of the experience of key staff members, and make sure you talk to the clinical director so that you understand the kind of treatment your teen will receive. You need to make sure that you are putting your child in the right kind of environment with people that you can trust.
More experts are saying that troubled teens do not necessarily respond to the kind of treatment they receive in reform schools or military academies. If you have a troubled teen who needs help, then it is important to explore your options before making any final decisions. Consider a therapeutic boarding school before looking at more intensive programs.
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