HOMETherapeutic Boarding Schools for Teens by State
Choosing a boarding school based in another state can be a difficult decision. Many parents feel guilty about sending their child away to school. Sometimes parents try to find a boarding school as close to home as possible. However, consider the idea that choosing a school a bit farther away from home make actually ease your teen's transition to the residential program. When they are still "close to home" they may not fully embrace the social life available to them in the residential environment.
Boarding Schools in California
Boarding Schools in Massachusetts
Boarding Schools in North Carolina
Does Your Teen Need a Therapeutic Boarding School?
Is your teen a troubled teen who needs a specialty boarding school environment or is he or she just going through the normal growing pains of adolescence? What signs should a parents of teens look for when trying to determine if the teen has behavior issues or emotional problems that make a therapeutic boarding school the right choice?
First, trust your instincts. Parents who sense their teen's issues go beyond the normal acting out of adolescent years are often right.
Second, don't delay intervention. Teens with behavioral problems rarely improve on their on. It is especially important to act now if your teen is engaging in self-destructive behaviors. If your teen is drinking, using drugs (not even necessarily illegal drugs), or hanging out with a tough crowd, they will likely continue in their negative behaviors.
Signs of a troubled teen include:
Troubled teens are often very secretive
Troubled teens may have mood swings that seem extreme and out of proportion with the events that triggered them. This could mean depression one day, elation the next day, then anger or rage a few days later. If you feel your teen's emotional rollercoaster is more extreme than most teens, this could be a sign of a mood disorder.
Troubled teens defy authority, flouting rules, ignoring curfews, skipping school, lying about where they spend their time, and manipulating parents and teachers to get what they want.
A sudden change in friends can signal problems. Parents of troubled teens often notice the quality of friends deteriorates as the teen's behavior worsens. The troubled teen will often reject life-long friends who aren't part of their "new group."
Troubled teens may steal money from parents and siblings.
Troubled teens grades often slip. However, some smart teens can keep their grades up and work diligently on this to avoid arousing the suspicion of their parents.
Troubled teens will seem to lack motivation or interest in activities they once enjoyed. Parents will feel frustrated trying to get them to do even the most elemental things that will help them succeed later in life.
Troubled teens may sleep more or might seem "out of it" many times.
If your teen is showing any of these behaviors, seek help from a professional to assess the problem and decide an appropriate course of action.
See also:
Boarding Schools for Children 10-13
Boarding Schools for Teenagers 13-18
Residential Schools and Programs for Young Adults 18-25
