Struggling with your Teen? Give him/her a Weekend Wake-Up Call!
/Seasoned parents often agree that the years spent parenting teens are among the most challenging. Some draw a comparison between the “terrible two’s” and the teen years as children in both stages are known for throwing temper tantrums, being stubborn, unreasonable and attempting to exert their independence. Parents hope that in both stages, that children outgrow the phase and begin to exhibit more acceptable behavior.
When behavior problems in teens continue to escalate despite parents best efforts, then sometimes outside intervention is necessary. Treatment programs for teens are very costly and typically range between $5,000 to $10,000 per month and most programs require that youth remain in the program for around one year or longer. Unfortunately, many families simply can’t afford this price tag. Some families utilize a local therapist and outpatient therapy can be helpful and many families benefit from outpatient services. However, most outpatient therapy is only one hour per week and is just not enough intervention as the teen will quickly revert to problematic behaviors shortly after leaving the therapist’s office.
A unique and impactful intervention for struggling teens and their parents is Family Bootcamp. www.familybootcamp.org. Based in beautiful St. George, Utah; the Family Bootcamp provides teens and parents with a life-changing five day intense, therapeutic wilderness experience in the heart of the high desert, majestic red rocks in Southern Utah. Family Bootcamp is the ideal intervention for families that are not yet ready or able to place their teen in a long-term residential treatment program but are seeking help learning to manage problematic behaviors that are occurring in the home.
Teens at Family Bootcamp trade in their smart phone for a sleeping bag and a cooking pot and experience a “strong wake-up call” over a five-day weekend (Thursday through Monday) that life as they had been living it, needs to change. Rather than spending the weekend hanging out with friends and disregarding family rules and responsibility, teens at Family Bootcamp spend the weekend hiking and camping in the high desert of Utah unplugged from all technology and the amenities of modern society. Their parents also spent the weekend in St. George, Utah participating in a two day parenting-seminar and obtaining valuable instruction, education and support for changing the family dynamics that are contributing to the teen’s acting out problems.
If you are struggling with a teen-aged child and want a “weekend wake-up call” then Family Bootcamp is for you!