Is Boarding School The Best Choice for a Violent Teen?

History has revealed time and time again the occurrence of young teens being shipped off to reform schools in the hopes of learning from hardened criminals in order to get their lives back on track. Whether due to petty theft, burglaries, or another other number of criminal offenses, the overall mindset was to ensure these teens learned a hard lesson before stepping back into the real world.  Nowadays, those reform schools are things of the past - and in their place, boarding schools. While certainly not the same type of programming, the outcome could be considered similar.  Today, we’ll discuss what boarding schools are and how they can help teens who are violent. We’ll learn if boarding schools are the best option for parents who are dealing with violent teens and if they are helpful in getting kids on the right track. Let’s dive in!

What are Boarding Schools?

Most parents might think of boarding schools as slightly off-putting; movies and media often make it seem like these facilities are nothing but scraping the floors clean with toothbrushes while a screaming and yelling officer stands nearby to delegate tasks. Not exactly the picture you would imagine for your child, right? According to the National Library of Medicine, there are 340 schools just within the United States that qualify as boarding schools, as well as approximately 640 boarding schools in the United Kingdom and Australia. With that being said, these schools aren’t last resort options for families - instead, they are a solid place for your troubled son or daughter to begin their rehabilitation toward a life with fewer behavioral issues and/or criminal activity.  So, how do boarding schools begin providing therapy to the students? Psychology Today lists some key points, including:

• Positive influencers that your teen can look up to and emulate
• Providing the much-needed structure, responsibility, and schedule for your teen to thrive
• Removing access to drugs and alcohol, as well as “friends” that might provoke peer pressure

All of these crucial factors are necessary for aiding troubled teens, especially ones who are becoming violent. As always, there are reasons why your teenage son or daughter has chosen violence in order to express their feelings; however, the professionals at a boarding school are there to help guide them and find more appropriate ways to deal with emotions like anger, anxiety, depression, and sadness - while still giving them the space they need to work through those feelings in a healthy way. 

Boarding Schools - Are They the Best Option?

If you have a teenage son or daughter who is becoming violent, then a boarding school is certainly not out of the question in order to improve their behavior. Chances are, you might be feeling like you are failing as a parent if you even have to consider a school such as this in order to get your teenager back on track. However, boarding school is not the end-all-be-all….and can be extremely helpful in rehabbing your teen.  Not only will your child be able to continue with their academics, but they will have scheduled times for study hall, free time, exercise, reading, and even trips with their fellow students. Maybe you think you’ll be dropping your child off at boarding school and then not seeing them again for a while? Thankfully, schools like Liahona Academy want to constantly involve family members as a part of the rehabilitation process.  The teachers, therapists, counselors, and doctors are all able to collaborate together when your teen enters boarding school to ensure the best care and forward progression is available to them. For example, if your teen is violent, why is that the case? In addition, specialists will work together with you, your child, and your family to determine the best course of action to address the issues at hand. 

Bottom Line 

If you have a violent teen on your hands, the last thing they need you to do is exhaust all your options - which means the next step is consideration of a boarding school that will provide the structure, support, and guidance they need to improve their behavior. Reaching the end of your rope is fun for no one….and even more so for your child, who most likely doesn’t realize what kind of help they need. So, what comes next? Liahona Academy is an excellent option for those families who have exhausted other options for dealing with violent teen behavior. From academic achievement to improving social behaviors, increasing confidence, and learning how to handle emotions in a safe and effective manner, your child will graduate with the best resources available at hand. All you’ve got to do is reach out and contact them today - so what are you waiting for? Let your teen begin improving their outlook on life today.