The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Boot Camp for Young Students

When young people reach their teens, all kinds of interesting (and sometimes messy) things occur and having to navigate their way through an increasingly frantic and frenetic world really doesn’t help. The modern teenager is constantly wading through a minefield of academic and social pressures and so it’s little wonder that during a period of great change, some things like self-discipline might fall through the cracks.

While all of this is natural and normal, it can lead to issues down the road if left unchecked, so many parents are looking for solutions to get their kids back on track. One such solution for helping teens to pull their socks up is a boot camp - but is this the right choice for you and your child? In this article, we’re signing up and showing up to explore programs and camps that provide the structure and discipline that young people need to get ahead.

What Is a Boot Camp?

A boot camp is typically an immersive, structured program that aims to help people develop important skills. The camps we’re talking about here focus on a variety of life issues such as self-confidence, communication, fitness, and behavioral challenges. If you’ve suddenly got a mental image of your precious child being forced to crawl through trenches and engage in combat, don’t worry. This is more about encouraging engagement and discipline through mental and physical exercises - all supervised by professionals. Although obstacle courses and team building stuff can be great for some, it’s not for everyone and, for many, a different kind of program can achieve the same results without the mud and muscle.

Boot Camp Alternatives

As we’ve mentioned, a full-on boot camp can be great for stamping out questionable behaviour, but it’s really important to also look at some other options - and the great news is that we’ve done that for you (you can thank us later...)

1. Therapeutic Support Programs

A gentler solution for the increasing number of youngsters dealing with challenges like anxiety, depression or ADHD, therapeutic programs harness the power of therapy and personal development in order to get to the heart of the matter. This is all about steering young people in the right direction in terms of emotional regulation and communication while addressing any mental health issues.  Programs like Avery’s House boot camp in Phoenix (though there will be similar programs in your country) can provide a supportive, non-judgmental environment. These programs also help students improve their emotional well-being, self-acceptance, and social interaction.

2. Adventure-Based Learning Programs

If you think teamwork is learned through boring (and slightly embarrassing) exercises in a stuffy classroom or gym, think again. Adventure based programs use activities - often outdoor - to help teens to forge relationships and to understand how working together is key to getting the job done. With an emphasis on fun, these programs often involve pursuits like rock climbing which take kids out of their comfort zone and into the great outdoors where they learn skills that will stay with them for life.

3. Mentorship and Coaching Programs

Sometimes, what’s needed most is a trusted mentor or coach who can guide them through their struggles, provide emotional support, and help them set goals they can achieve. Focusing on one-on-one support for personal challenges; whether they be academic struggles, behavioral issues or gaps in personal development, these types of programs can be incredibly rewarding. Combining real help, support and flexibility without having to foot the bill for a boot camp, this is a really great solution for kids who just need a little extra help in finding their path and achieving their goals.

4. Online and Virtual Programs

OK, we get it - not everybody has the time or the means to send their offspring off into the wilderness for a boot camp or intensive program - and the great news is that you don’t have to. As with much else, the internet can provide a safe space for development through therapy and counselling online programs. Discreet and affordable, these flexible learning modules allow your child to take part in their own home and in their own space - something which is often super-important for young people at a time when peer pressure can be a major driver.

How to Choose the Right Program

Right, so we’ve taken you through what may be on offer but, I hear you cry, how the blue blazes do I choose the right one for my little angel? Not gonna lie, this isn’t always an easy decision so, let’s step into ways in which to pick the best boot camp or program for your situation:

1. Assess Their Needs: It’s really important to drill down and identify the specific struggles or challenges that your child is dealing with - behaviour, school, mental health or emotional) as this forms the foundation of this weighty decision.
2. Research Programs: Take the time to look at everything that might be available to you - including finance options. Courses differ greatly depending on whether you’re after a full-on boot camp or more gentle coaching so it’s important to find a good fit for your kid.
3. Look for Accreditation and Reviews: You wouldn’t choose a doctor without checking out their credentials and the same thing applies here. Check out reviews and qualifications along with testimonials to see what other people thought about the program.
4. Consider the Commitment: This one’s super important as boot camps and courses can run from a couple of weeks to several months so you need to make sure that your chosen program is doable in terms of everything else you’ve got going on.
5. Involve Them in the Decision: Right, bottom line - there’s a really good chance that you’ll meet some resistance from your kid when it comes to getting help - and this will only get worse if you leave them out of the loop. It's therefore essential to make - and keep - them involved in the process if you want to maximise your chances of it working.

Conclusion

Helping anyone to put their best foot forward can be tricky, but a boot camp can provide the solution. Young people today are faced with a lot of pressures that are often difficult to understand.  Especially if the person giving the help grew up with a handful of TV stations and no internet! This is why life can overwhelm kids and lead to problem behavior as they try to deal with it all.

The great news here is that you’re not alone.  That’s because whether you’re going for a traditional boot camp or a one-on-one mentorship, there are professional people out there who can really help you - actually, your kids - to find the right track and get the best from their lives.