There are two decisions faced by the parents of a troubled teen. Should I send my kid to a boot camp? If I do send my kid to a boot camp, which boot camp will it be?

Now the first question is usually much easier than the second. If your son or daughter is in trouble, if they are losing interest in school and their grades are falling or if they are mixing with the wrong crowd and need some strong discipline in their life then yes, your child most probably needs to go to a boot camp.

But then comes the choice. You see boot camps are unique. The courses may run for about the same amount of time but the programs they offer and the emphasis they place on different behaviors can be completely different. Sending your troubled teen to the wrong boot camp could mean a total waste of money. And worse, your teen may not improve, in fact they may even get worse.

So be sure you know what is wrong with your child. For instance they may be bright but have taken the lazy approach to life. They plan to drift along and whatever happens happens. Of course this won't cut the mustard with their academic studies and it certainly won't work in the world of employment. There are boot camps set up to exactly cater for this type of teen.

Then there are teens who are bright and capable but are being held back by some condition such as ADHD. They are able to succeed but are not being challenged. There are boot camps which cater specifically for this type of teen. In fact you will almost certainly find a boot camp which can meet the needs of your child. The key of course is to find that camp.

Don't be fooled by pictures of happy kids on the brochure or web page of a camp site. Investigate thoroughly. Find out what is on offer as far as programs go. You must of course have an accurate diagnosis of your teen. What are they doing or nor doing and why? Once you know the symptoms and cause of your child's misbehavior, seek out those boot camps which work with kids such as your son or daughter.

Boot camps survive by being successful. They turn around the life of the residents. If they didn't they would soon be out of business.

You want a boot camp which will show your child how they are doing the wrong thing, how they are being negative. And the teen needs to learn that their current behavior will impact their life not just today and tomorrow but for many years into the future. This is a major breakthrough for your child. They come to realize who they are damaging, even possibly destroying their own life.

That's the turnaround you want a boot camp to provide for your troubled teen. Just being in the right boot camp is a positive step. Teens see themselves in others, watch how their peers are being challenged and listen to their story being told by others. That's what a good boot camp is all about.