Military Schools and Replacement Schools for Troubled Teens
The teenage years can sometimes be tough. Sure, you’re going to get an “Oh my gosh, this is so unfair!” every now and then, but that can be handled. Sometimes, though, teens can be at-risk, meaning they could get in trouble with the law, be expelled from school, or a number of other things.
If any of these happen, or have a good chance of happening, most parents take action by sending their teen(s) to military school or alternative schools. These alternative schools are ones in which, you the parent, order your child to go to, not the school system doing so.
In comparison, military schools are traditionally where parents send their troubled teens in order to turn them into productive members of society. Choosing to send your child to military school, however, does have several disadvantages. For example, sometimes they just aren’t the best choice for trying to get your teen back in line.
Admission fees and other expenses are usually collected upfront, and if your child gets expelled from the school, there are no refunds. Fortunately, there is another way to go about helping your teen and the pros of them outweigh the cons of the two types of schools.
Specialty Boarding Schools
Specialty Boarding Schools have some of the same qualities as military schools and more often than not are fit to help your teen get back into the swing of society. If your child has ADD/ADHD or other behavioral problems, there is also help for them. Troubled teens aren’t just those that are on the streets smoking cocaine, they can also be teens that are lonely or depressed. These conditions are ones that are important to address with a psychology professional, something that military schools do not offer to its recruits. The term specialty boarding schools is broad and sometimes hard to understand exactly what they are. Putting it simply, they can be, but are not limited to, therapeutic boarding schools, traditional boarding schools, and residential schools specializing in teens with ADD/ADHD.
Therapeutic Boarding Schools
Therapeutic boarding schools have traditional academics combined with therapeutic sessions, interventions, etc. to help troubled teens in their quest for fitting into society. Usually, teens stay at therapeutic schools for a full school year, about nine months. Most of them are strictly for high school students, but you can find some for middle school students and young adults between the ages of 17 and 24. Many of the schools are co-ed, but all girl and all boy schools are on the rise. They are well supervised, and are a great alternative to average military schools. Some specialize or are good for teens with ADD/ADHD and the like, but many are not. Some might be a little expensive, but it’s worth it, because so many miracles have happened at therapeutic boarding schools.
Boarding schools
Another alternative to your average military school is just a traditional boarding school. Traditional boarding schools allow your child to get away from their daily life and perhaps start their school life over. They are great for teens with low self-esteem from being bullied at school or any other cause. Boarding schools can be found all over the United States and can be fun for teens all while helping them learn how to deal with their emotional or behavioral problems with psychologists, counselors, or other adults that are licensed and trained to help them.
Though psychologists are not offered at every traditional boarding school, all boarding schools have counselors like regular schools do, so you can request scheduled visits for your teen with them. Teens can start at a traditional boarding school usually in the 7th grade, but there are many schools that do accept lower grade students as well. They are well supervised and you do have to pay for your teen(s) to go there, but they are a welcome alternative to military schools.
ADD/ADHD-specialty schools
Many other residential schools specialize in helping troubled teens and/or teens with ADD/ADHD. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a condition with symptoms that include but are not limited to dreaminess, forgetfulness, and little or no management skills. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder with symptoms such as distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Though there is no medical cure for either condition, sometimes all troubled teens with ADD/ADHD need is a change in setting, a residential school specializing in these two conditions could really help them get things under control. With a little searching on the Internet or other sources of information you can find residential schools in the United States for your teen(s) to attend. Of course, there is a fee but these schools can really help your teen manage their disorder, and get their life back on track.
Some people just don’t know or can’t tell the difference in a military school and an alternative school. To help you better understand the differences in military schools and alternative schools, here is a chart explaining the pros and cons.
Military School
|
Alternative School
|
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Psychologist not offered.
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Psychologist and/or counselor offered.
|
|
Fees due up front without a refund.
|
Most fees can be made to fit your payment schedule and most schools
give refunds. |
|
Mainly for teens with behavioral problems.
|
For teens with behavioral and/or emotional problems.
|
|
Not a good option for a teen with ADD/ADHD or emotional problems.
|
Schools are available that specialize in helping teens with
ADD/ADHD. |
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Does not give much-sometimes no-freedom to teens.
|
Schools offer time for teens to just be teens, but in a safe
supervised area. |
