Understanding the Pros and Cons of Teen Boot Camps

Weigh in on the pros and cons before sending your child to a teen boot camp.

There are various pros and cons of sending your child to a teen boot camp. As a parent, you’re looking to make the best decision for your child. Don’t rush the process though, be sure that you weigh all of the factors before commitment. This is will ensure that you’ve made the right decision. Here are some pros and cons that will help you decide whether or not these boot camps are right for you.

The Positives

The sole advantage that teen boot camps have over other troubled youth programs is that they teach responsibility, respect for authoritative figures, and discipline. Troubled teens that have a history of rebellious behavior may benefit from having an instructor with a military background teach them right from wrong. Extremely defiant teenagers and those that have been involved in illegal activities are recommended for these types of programs.

The Negatives

The biggest con of all is that juvenile boot camps do not provide any sort of therapeutic program – unlike wilderness therapy programs for example. They aren’t designed to help deal with the mental health of an individual and rather lie on their brute regimen to somewhat coerce the teen into behaving in the societal structure. Teens that suffer from depression, anxiety, or self-harm may end up in a worse situation than when they started. Making the choice to send your child to a teen boot camp is a risky one, so be sure that you know what you are signing up for before doing so.


Wood Creek Academy focuses on Christian wilderness therapy to help turn teens lives around. For more information, visit Wood Creek Academy online today.