| 1) Ask about their success rates. A
| |
| | working, it's time to stop and reevaluate
|
| quality program should have a systematic
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| | the situation. We've all heard it before,
|
| way of measuring success and should be
| |
| | but doing the same thing and expecting
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| able to provide information to interested
| |
| | different results is the definition of
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| parents about that success. If a school
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| | insanity. Stop banging your head against
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| is reluctant about telling you their
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| | a wall and get help.
|
| success rates or can only provide
| |
| | 7) Understand that you don't always get
|
| anecdotal evidence of program
| |
| | what you pay for. Although typically true
|
| effectiveness, this is a fairly good
| |
| | for most consumer products, price does
|
| indicator that the results aren't too
| |
| | not always reflect quality in the
|
| impressive. If you are quoted a
| |
| | troubled teen help industry. Make sure
|
| statistic, be sure you understand what
| |
| | you understand what you are paying for.
|
| the number means. Some schools define
| |
| | Many high quality programs are in the
|
| success in very loose terms. Often
| |
| | range of $3,000-$4,000/month. Paying
|
| "success" actually means "lack of
| |
| | thousands more per month isn't
|
| failure," or simply that a graduate
| |
| | necessarily going to change your child's
|
| hasn't been arrested since leaving the
| |
| | behavior any better or faster. You may be
|
| program.
| |
| | making someone else rich however and
|
| 2) Talk with some parents with a teen in
| |
| | paying for services that fuel your teen's
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| the program. Talking with a parent who
| |
| | sense of entitlement. On the other hand,
|
| has had direct experience with a program
| |
| | if you've found a program that claims to
|
| will ensure that you don't get swindled
| |
| | offer services similar to more expensive
|
| by a fast-talking salesperson. If a
| |
| | facilities for under $2,500/month, it's
|
| school is confident about the service
| |
| | probably too good to be true.
|
| they are delivering to their current
| |
| | 8) Look for a program that involves the
|
| clients, they should be happy to allow
| |
| | whole family. A family is a system. When
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| you to speak with them. If they make
| |
| | one part of a system has a problem, it
|
| excuses or claim that they want to
| |
| | affects other parts in the system. In
|
| protect the anonymity of their clients,
| |
| | fact, most problems within a system
|
| you can rest assured they are bluffing.
| |
| | involve the interaction of two or more
|
| If a program works, it will have plenty
| |
| | parts. The family is no different. It is
|
| of support from parents who have had a
| |
| | vital that parents and even siblings
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| good experience with it.
| |
| | where possible get involved in the change
|
| 3) Take a tour of the program(s) you are
| |
| | process. If your child comes home to a
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| considering. This will give you an
| |
| | broken system, the changes they have
|
| opportunity to assess the adequacy of the
| |
| | made, however significant, will probably
|
| facilities, the professionalism and
| |
| | be short-lived. Be willing to accept that
|
| competency of the staff, and most
| |
| | you may be part of the problem and be
|
| importantly, the contrast between new
| |
| | willing to make the changes you need to
|
| students and soon-to-be graduates. When
| |
| | in your own life. A successful program
|
| viewing the facilities, remember that you
| |
| | should offer services that allow family
|
| don't want a hotel (your child needs a
| |
| | members to work on individual issues as
|
| reason to want to come home) but you
| |
| | well as relationship problems. This might
|
| don't want rundown buildings either.
| |
| | be accomplished through parenting
|
| Something that is basic yet clean and
| |
| | courses, family therapy, seminars, etc.
|
| tolerable is a good balance. Try to get a
| |
| | 9) Don't tell your child you are going to
|
| sense of the program's philosophy of
| |
| | put them in a program-unless of course
|
| change when talking with the staff and
| |
| | you enjoy inviting unnecessary drama into
|
| also watch to see how the staff members
| |
| | your life. If you have made a decision to
|
| interact with the students. The
| |
| | place your child in a treatment program,
|
| soon-to-be graduates can provide a good
| |
| | or even if you are only considering doing
|
| example of what the program is capable of
| |
| | so, it's best to keep it to yourself.
|
| helping their students create. To take a
| |
| | Very few teens will be in favor of such a
|
| tour of several troubled teen treatment
| |
| | decision, so breaking the news early just
|
| facilities across the United States visit
| |
| | makes your life miserable since you now
|
|
| |
| | have created a situation where your teen
|
| 4) Don't base your decision on either
| |
| | feels it is necessary to manipulate you
|
| pure emotion or logic. Avoid the tendency
| |
| | into changing your mind. Your teen should
|
| to overreact to an emotional situation.
| |
| | not be part of the decision making
|
| If your teen's behavior represents a
| |
| | process since he or she is already
|
| consistent problem, now may be the time
| |
| | demonstrating the inability to make
|
| to act. However, make that determination
| |
| | responsible choices. Discussing this
|
| when you have returned to a stable state
| |
| | decision with your teen may also
|
| of mind. On the other hand, choosing a
| |
| | encourage your child to run away or "live
|
| program for a teen requires more than
| |
| | it up" like the end of the world has been
|
| simply weighing the pros and cons. Choose
| |
| | announced.
|
| a program that makes sense that you can
| |
| | 10) Remember that just because you have a
|
| also feel good about.
| |
| | troubled teen doesn't mean that you are a
|
| 5) Don't tell yourself that ignoring the
| |
| | bad parent. Children don't come with a
|
| problem will make it go away. Although
| |
| | manual and each is unique in the
|
| some problems may go away on their own
| |
| | challenges they bring to parenting. Yes,
|
| with time, serious behavioral and
| |
| | you probably made some mistakes along the
|
| emotional problems in adolescents may
| |
| | way, but dwelling on your guilt for the
|
| appear dormant for a time, but will
| |
| | way your child is behaving is senseless
|
| always resurface if allowed to continue
| |
| | and will not help solve the problem.
|
| unresolved. If the voice inside you is
| |
| | Shift your focus to what you can learn in
|
| telling you it's time to stop pretending
| |
| | order to bring your child back, and never
|
| that your child doesn't have a problem,
| |
| | stop loving them. Your love and
|
| you should probably listen.
| |
| | commitment to your child is ultimately
|
| 6) If it isn't working, stop doing it! If
| |
| | the key to helping them reverse their
|
| it has become clear that your attempts to
| |
| | self-destructive lifestyle.
|
| control your child's behavior are not
| |
| |
|
