There is no 'one size fits all' answer to this question. And arguably the best person to answer the question is the parent of the troubled teen. Many parents remember their child when young and are bewildered that several years later their happy go lucky kid is now a troubled teen. But what does troubled mean? And how troubled does a troubled teen have to be before you consider sending them to a boot camp? Again the answer depends on the individual. But you can be sure that if you are unhappy about the way your teen is behaving then your child too will be unhappy. So then the crunch question arrives. Do I send my teen to boot camp?

Sometimes there is a fine line between your teen switching from being depressed, angry, rebellious and bored to being switched on, enthusiastic and caring. Sometimes the circuit-breaker is a boot camp. As the parent, you need to explore the various boot camps available for your teen. Knowing your teen, choose the camp which best meets the needs of your troubled teen.

What you want for your teen is a boot camp where the resident teens take top priority. The camp is not there to punish your child. The camp exists to provide a safe and encouraging place where teens can discover their problems, discover solutions and be encouraged and helped to turn their life around. Many can and do.

The whole culture of the camp is one of friendliness. The professional counseling is obviously an important factor but so too are the opportunities for the teens to mix with their peers, to take on challenging tasks, to express themselves openly and freely and to learn new skills. Added to all this is the fact that the boot camp is both physically and emotionally many miles from your teen's home. A new environment and a friendly one at that will do wonders for your teen. The atmosphere at home where unhappiness and despair have ruled is replaced by new adults, new peers, new challenges and new prospects. It's all a positive change.

One of the other questions you should consider regarding action about your troubled teen is 'what will happen if I do nothing'? What will happen to my son or daughter if I allow the status quo to continue? If your teen is in serious trouble then that question doesn't bear thinking about. A serious problem for your child requires a serious response. In most cases a teen boot camp is the ideal place for your troubled teen.So having studied the needs of your teen and the causes of their troubles, investigate just what is on offer at various boot camps. Do their programs pinpoint the needs of your child? Will your teen gain the skills, the attitude and the self-belief to make their life a new life? Match the offerings of the boot camp with the needs of your child and you may well have found the perfect fit.