Teenagers in trouble are not a boys-only problem. Many girls find themselves mixing with the wrong crowd or clashing with their family or experimenting with drugs or alcohol. There are several ways a worried parent can assist their daughter and one of those ways is to send their girl to bootcamp.
There are summer boot camps for girls but if your daughter has serious problems with discipline and with school attendance, a twelve month boot camp may be the ideal form of treatment.
There are several aims set out by those running the camp and these aims will almost certainly include the following:
- Good nutrition where the girls are taught the value of a healthy diet
- Good exercise where sensible activities help to create a healthy weight
- Financial skills showing how to manage money
- Time management showing how to plan tasks, set goals and work to achieve them
- Caring for yourself and for others
- Finding and aiming for your true potential
The Routine
A boot camp for troubled teenage girls is not a walk in the park. There are strict discipline codes and routines but the overall aim is to equip each girl with the self-confidence and self-esteem to enable her to make a contribution to society when she returns home. Successful graduates often refer to their new-found skill of being able to control their emotions, of being able to handle their reaction when faced with a problem or a crisis.
Girls are taught to care about themselves, to love themselves in order to be able to love their family and friends.
The Real World
Parents of teenagers need little reminding of the real world and what it offers teenagers today. Surveys show that a significant percentage of female teenagers have consumed alcohol and that the percentage of teenage girls who drink alcohol on a regular basis is growing faster than that of teenage boys.
Sadly with alcohol consumption, surveys show that many teenage girls under the influence of alcohol have then driven a vehicle, been sexually assaulted or engaged in sexual activity. These forms of dangerous and criminal behavior are a real and constant worry for caring parents.
The surveys of teenage behavior carry even more frightening statistics. Of teenagers who receive $50 a week or more in pocket money, girls are more likely than boys to smoke, drink alcohol, binge drink or smoke marijuana.
Teenage girls who abuse alcohol and drugs are more likely to attempt suicide or to abuse prescription painkillers and tranquilizers.
These are scary statistics but as many parents know, the reality is that alcohol, cigarettes and drugs are not difficult to obtain. If, as a parent, you know your daughter is involved with substance abuse, has low self-esteem or even a distinct lack of energy, seeking medical advice is essential.
Once a diagnosis has been given, one consideration could well be to allow your daughter to go to a boot camp for girls.
Dating can be a tricky situation for teenagers. The United States has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the developed world with about 80% of these pregnancies being unplanned and a high percentage ending with a termination.
It goes without saying that a proper health education is vital along with clear guidelines on what is and what is not acceptable behavior. Boot camps for girls are strong on teaching girls how to stand up for themselves, to build their self-confidence and help them aim high in all they do including personal relationships.
Tell It Like It Is
One of the major aspects of a boot camp for girls is the forthright honesty displayed by the staff. Caring and responsible yes but no attempt to duck the issue is ever considered. The girls, if they didn’t already, are told some good old-fashioned home truths when it comes to issues they face as they grow up.
Topics like alcohol, body image, drugs and sex are explained in clear and easily understood language.
One major benefit of the courses offered by boot camps for girls is their ability to answer any and all questions. Every teenager is unique as is their situation and problem. Boot camps have trained counselors who are able to talk to you the parent on the phone or via email about your specific situation.
Church Based Boot Camps
A number of churches run boot camps and naturally a Christian message is part of the program. Parents who are churchgoers would obviously appreciate such action but non churchgoing folks should also consider such a venue.
The Christian boot camps do not exist to promote religion but rather to help the girls sort out their life and leave with a new set of skills and self-belief.
Some boot camps are not just for teenage girls who have found themselves in trouble with authorities. It may be that your daughter is seemingly drifting and not showing any enthusiasm for school or life in general. This is where a short term – say 30 day – boot camp is ideal. Lots of physical activity, lots of hard-nosed talking and no time to rest other than deep sleep from all that physical activity.
Summary
Boot camps for teenage girls have their dropouts, their failures. But they are few and need to be balanced by the many girls who find their stay at a boot camp to be overwhelmingly positive. Life-changing is how some girls report it. In fact one of the best ways for any parent to assess the potential value of a particular boot camp is to talk to the girls who have graduated. There are often referrals on line at the camp web site and if a church or club is involved, you could contact these organizations to get a first hand report.
Some parents worry that a boot camp for their daughter will be too hard, too tough for her delicate condition and troubled attitude. In fact the truth is that the right boot camp may be just the perfect answer to your daughter’s needs. At the very least take a good hard look at the potential gains for your troubled teenager.
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