Why Teen Boot Camps Will Not Work For Many Teenagers |
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| News - Parenting |
 Willingness is the single most important factor that separates 'commercialized' boot camps from current and established military schools of the same namesake. Raw armed forces recruits are fully aware that the course is a bridge to where they're intent on going- to become soldiers. At the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, the involuntary conscripts of teen boot camps couldn't be more eager to be anywhere but in a corrective program; most are there as a result of court order or desperate parents. A great many parents of 'troubled' teens have been looking into sending their children to correctional programs out of a sense of exasperation, or inability to affect change in the behavior of their charges. What they fail to realize is that although institutionalized environments like these can sometimes prove temporarily beneficial, they may not have any lasting effect in the long term. Most of these correctional programs are designed to utilize techniques such as intense physical exercises, extreme discipline and rigid time constraints to emulate military conditions to attack and shift destructive behaviors in their charges ranging from drug abuse, law breaking, and aggression, to anti-social problems and others. When working with recruits, the armed forces are dealing with young people who are driven to become the kinds of soldiers they've always envisioned themselves to be; even still, the job of drill instructors and other personnel is not an easy one. When dealing with troubled teens however, who are there involuntarily, and who know they'll be freed afterward, it is an infinitely different situation. Most corrective camp organizations boast a specific period of time within which they will allegedly be able to 'turn your child around' or get them back on track and it is not at all uncommon to see the phrase 'scare them straight' employed. In order to enact positive change with those enrolled in these programs, the individuals must possess a desire to change in the first place. Otherwise, what ends up happening is that teens will find whatever survival skills are necessary to get through the course, without ever actually addressing the underlying, primary issues motivating them to lash out in the first place. Without ever experiencing nurturing support systems like counseling, and communication aimed at creating a space within which an individual can safely explore the origins of destructive behaviors, a youth is much less likely to seriously shift their mentalities in the long term. What may also be happening, is that some parents are giving themselves an exit from having to look more closely at a situation they may have been complicit in helping to create. Though some would assert that teen boot camps are good solutions for behavioral issues, others contend that systems geared toward long term influence and lasting change such as specialty boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and other alternatives may be better suited for aiding in the permanent shifting of a 'troubled' teen. About the Author: Frank Cole Discover why teen boot camps may not work for many teenagers now in our super review of all you need to know about how and where to find the best Teen boot camp in the US. |
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