How do you know when your struggling daughter is ready for an alternative school?
Let’s analyze your daughter’s behavior:
Many parents are extremely concerned today about their girls. We are witnessing higher rates of depression, stress, anxiety, self-harm and sadly — suicide ideation among our young people.
If you’re one of these parents, you are certainly not alone.
Is you’re teen daughter struggling with any of the following:
- Rebelliousness, belligerent
- Oppositional Defiance (ODD)
- Authority issues
- Anger control problems (rage, explosive)
- Low self-esteem
- Poor decision-making skills
- Thinking errors – blaming, rationalizing, avoid taking responsibility, entitlement.
- Poor peer choices
- Trauma
- ADHD, Conduct Disorder
- Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
- Petty theft or shoplifting (stealing – usually from parents)
- Sneaking out, runaway
- Self-harm, suicide ideation
- Obsessed with social media (addicted to their phone)
- Meeting people offline from the internet
- Underachieving and underperforming in school
- Withdrawing from family and favorite activities
- Substance abuse, vaping
- Family conflict
- Skipping classes, truancy
Have you tried these things to help:
- Switching schools, moving
- School counselors, therapists
- Short-term in-patient or out-patient
- Taking away technology, removing cell-phones
- Lectures, pleading
- Tutors
- Mentors, teen coaches
- Living with relatives
There are few things more frustrating than trying to help someone who doesn’t want help. She doesn’t see any reason to change her behavior because it isn’t causing enough pain and frustration now.
But if she doesn’t get help. . . then she’s going to experience a very challenging life. She is unlikely to complete high-school let alone be able to obtain and hold a job. It is unlikely that she will have the opportunities that you want for him. She will struggle.
She needs more help than you can offer. . . but it isn’t too late.
Residential therapy can be extremely beneficial where local resources have failed. Removing your teen from the influences of negative peer groups or sometimes even family conflict can help them reflect more on what is creating their negative behavior.
These programs (therapeutic boarding schools/residential treatment centers) continue with your daughter’s education, have therapists to work on your daughter’s emotional wellbeing to help her develop coping and communication skills as well as building motivation and setting goals for her (now) bright future.
This is a major emotional and financial decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s why we help educate parents on schools and programs that would best fit their individual teen’s needs. We know how confusing the internet can be — and you don’t want to make a rash decision while you’re in crisis.
Read: Purpose of Therapeutic Boarding Schools.
Read: Are Therapeutic Boarding Schools Effective?
Read: What is the Success Rate of Therapeutic Boarding Schools?
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Are you considering a boarding school for your troubled teen? Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about finding the right therapeutic boarding school for your teen.
