Troubled Teens Resources

Tipton Academy is located in Tipton Kansas; it was opened in spring of 2005.
Tipton is unique from many other schools in that it operates on principles of a Positive Peer culture. This means that the boys are given a lot of freedom as they move through the program. Troubled Teen boarding schools have come under fire in recent years because of abuse that has happened at a few schools. Tipton has worked hard to see that students are not abused, but given the opportunity to make the changes necessary in their lives. Mike McClendon is the Program Director at Tipton Academy he has 10 years of experience working with troubled boys. His experience has been the catalyst of success for Tipton. His sincere love for the boys and determination to see them succeed is at the core of the Tipton Academy success.

Tipton’s remote location also adds to the entire experience of the boys. The country lifestyle and honest work ethics from the people of Tipton are an example to the boys in the Academy. The Tipton Community fought to keep their own middle high and elementary school’s in town. As a community they built an elementary school in 30 days with volunteer help and donated funds. Tipton is truly a remarkable town and Tipton Academy feels fortunate to be located amongst such great Americans.

Tipton Academy is unique in that it has a dog training program for the boys which allow them to assist in training dogs to assist the handicapped. They work in conjunction with CARES a non profit organization in Kansas. CARES provides dogs to people with special needs. The boys are also able to present the dogs to their new owners. This is an emotional event when the boys present something they have become attached to; to another person is a life changing event. The person in need is very appreciative and new owner and old trainer share a very positive experience.

Tipton Academy also offers the boys opportunities to work while they are enrolled. Tipton is home to some of the finest bird farms in the area. Many people come to Tipton each year to hunt pheasants and other game birds. This industry gives the Tipton Academy boy’s opportunities to work in the game bird industry when they invoke enough trust from the program staff.

Tipton Academy has truly become a positive place for change. Many boys have made drastic improvements in their lives graduating high school and going on to college. Like any school Tipton has also had students that didn’t make the best of their stay at Tipton and some have gone back home and fallen back into their old ways. Overall Tipton is an effective option and positively affected the lives of many young men.

With the economy struggling like it is, finding affordable help for a troubled teen can be a difficult task.  The least expensive placement options for a troubled teen begin at $2,500 per month.   For parents that have difficulty financing such a venture there are some alternative options they can try. One good option for younger children up to about 12 or 13 years old is a scared straight type program.  It is designed to empower parents by allowing their child to watch a DVD of a drill Sergeant.  This is been successful in motivating younger people to improve their behaviors.  It can be found at http://www.bootcampvideo.com/ .

There are other options parents can try on their own prior to sending their child away.  Some parents have had success using what is referred to as a ‘home contract”.  This is just what it sounds like, a contract between the parents and their child.  The parents negotiate an agreement with their child about what time they will come home, who they will hang out with, what kind of grades they will get, and drug testing is usually in the mix.  Both parties sign it and the teen understands and agrees what will happen if he doesn’t comply with the agreement.  Some parents will use this prior to placing their teen in a program for troubled teens.

There is another great option for parents that do not want to send their teen away to receive help.  It is advertised on television and is a very effective option.  The Total Transformation program can be purchased by following this link.  The program is guaranteed to work and you can actually try the program for $19.95 risk free!  If you have a troubled or defiant teen or child and want to try something that will help; give this a try.

There are many sites available to help families working through the challenges associated with raising a troubled teen.  There is a new site that may be helpful for parents to check out.  It is called OnLine-Family-Help there are products featured there that can assist virtually every member of your family. There are baby products, educational toys, and specialty products to assist parents struggling with a troubled and defiant teenager.

The site also offers helpful hints on how to do many little things that can help parents.  Parenting skills are discussed and suggestions on how to not only parent a troubled teen but get closer to them are highlighted.  If you are having trouble with a teenager or are having your first baby Online-Family-Help may be able to offer you some practical advice. Having a baby can be a traumatic experience for a young couple.  The stress of caring for the child is made more complicated by the lack of sleep that usually accompanies the new arrival.  If there are two parents it is easier but definitely an adjustment for all involved.  The new parents may have some extended family to assist.  The help of a loving Grandma at this critical time can be a life saver for the new parents.  Many hospitals offer new parent training, but there are many websites and resources available online that can help. 

The new baby will change the dynamics of the family for the remainder of the parent’s lives.  They will need to learn how to find time to still nurture their relationship.  It is easy for a new mom to become so consumed with the new arrival that she neglects or forgets her husband.  It is also common for the new father to spend more time away from home rather than trying to assist with the new added responsibilities.  Both parents will need to increase their level of commitment to make the relationship survive.

The typical teen of today is being bombarded from every direction.  They are under pressure to perform academically, to complete responsibilities at home, to compete athletically, and the list goes on.  It is not a widely known fact that the teen of today is more up to date on current events than generations past.  Today’s teen is aware of global problems and conflicts, the economic devastation, and the political separation that our county is currently working through.  When you add the typical teen issues to the increased information that today’s teen is receiving it is no wonder today’s teen finally reaches a boiling point.   

The teen implosion can manifest itself in many ways.  Some teens will become withdrawn and possibly work themselves into a full blown depression.  Some teens will begin to look for ways to relieve some of the pressure they are experiencing through drug abuse.  Very few will seek out a parent for help and advice.  The most frequent form of help sought by a teen comes in the way of advice from their peers.  If a teen asks a friend that is abusing drugs for advice the advice they give will obviously be to try some drugs.  The teen may begin to experiment in sexual activities.  The best advice and help is obviously the teen’s parents but if the parent does not have a close relationship with their teen they will never come to them with their problems.  It is important that a parent is vigilante to their teens changes in attitudes and moods. 

Even a good teen left unassisted will begin the downward spiral until they earn the label of troubled teen.  The troubled teen may not have a Mohawk or any visible signs of rebellion.  It is usually not until the troubled teen has hit rock bottom and is basically crying out for attention that they will begin to display extreme hair and clothing styles.   One warning signal for parents for a child that is moving in a negative direction is their choice of friends.  If you observe that your teen is hanging with kids with radical hair styles or clothing choices, it is usually only a matter of time until your child begins to dress and act like the peers he is “hanging out” with.  It is naïve to think that a teen is associating with a group of troubled teens and not engaging in the same activities the negative peers are engaging in.

What do you do when you find that your teen is using drugs?  It is becoming more of a reality for parents in today’s society.  Some parents are shocked to find that their child is abusing drugs or alcohol.  The “rest of the story” is sometimes even more disturbing.  A teen that is abusing drugs has to be buying them with something.  Initially a troubled teen will steal money from parent’s siblings and other extended family members.  When they get caught doing this they are forced to become more creative to support their new habit.  Some teens turn to selling drugs, prostitution, or burglary to purchase the drugs they need.

If a teen opts to sell drugs he is introduced to his drug dealers’ source.  The more he sells the higher up he can go until he is no longer dealing with kids from his school or neighborhood.  He has entered the world of dangerous criminals that will seriously hurt anyone that crosses them or doesn’t pay them.  It can make a parent shutter to think about the possibilities this scenario could have.  Needless to say, their child is in over their head.  In many cases the child doesn’t even realize the danger his life is in.  It may be difficult to remove a child from a situation like this.  It is possible however, but much caution and certainly police involvement should be obtained. It may be necessary to move your child far away from the negative friends and drug dealers that he is hanging around with.  Parents have found help by moving their teen to Tipton Academy in Tipton Kansas.  The remote location is ideal for making positive changes.  It is unlikely that any of your child’s “friends” will travel very far to help them making Tipton’s remote location even more attractive.  When a troubled teen is removed from his circle of so called friends there are very few that will even inquire about where he is. 

TiptonAcademy has helped many youth learn positive behaviors through the positive peer pressure techniques used there.  If you have teen that is treading in dangerous waters give them a call they can help 877 968 8443.  Tipton Academy has been in business for almost 4 years and they have successfully helped many families to get back together.  If you would like to talk to one of the parents of Tipton Academy students, give them a call.

When a troubled teen is given chance after chance to clean their act up and they just keep getting into trouble it might be time to send them to a troubled teen boarding school.

“The 15-year-old narrowly avoided a detention sentence, after she refused to co-operate with the Youth Offending Service and continually breached her curfew order.
The girl had been sentenced to a supervision order with a curfew earlier this year for a number of offences, including being drunk and disorderly, punching and headbutting her boyfriend outside the Wrexham Tesco store and smashing equipment in a Wrexham youth home.
However, she failed to comply with this order on a number of occasions, despite being given a last chance to do so in September.
Magistrates at Wrexham Youth Court heard representations from the Youth Offending Service, who expressed concerns about the girl’s safety and said she was “spiralling out of control”.
The youth offending team told the court the only way to deal with the teenager was to send her to a detention unit.
Jane Meyers, defending, told the court she agreed and saw no other option.
She said the common thread through was alcohol misuse.
Ms Meyers said the teenager, who had been in care since the age of two, had no previous records until these offences and had found it difficult to adjust over the last two years after leaving her foster home of 10 years and being relocated.
She added her client was very vulnerable and incidents of self harming were becoming more serious.
However, magistrates decided not to send the girl to a detention unit but sentenced her to a 12-month conditional discharge.
They defended the decision, saying they were putting more responsibility on the teenager to prove she could sort herself out with the help of her social workers.”

Tipton Academy is an effective option for troubled teen boys.
(source)

Thinking about a teen crisis intervention for your troubled teen? What are you going to do after you confront your teen about their problem? What type of treatment do they need? Well there is a new option for parents of teen boys ages 13-17 in Austin, TX. This program of individualized therapy offers a different type of help for teens.

“‘Every teenage boy we work with has an individualized program created to best suit their personal needs to foster a positive environment. Our programs have been developed to enhance all areas of each troubled teen lives and help them learn to adapt to situations where they need additional help. Resolution Ranch strives to help troubled teens build stronger relationships in their communities as well as to succeed in life,- states Neal Staab, Administrator of Resolution Ranch.
Resolution Ranch’s 12 Step Program offers a spiritual focus to help troubled teens learn respect, build character and confidence. Each boy works through the 5 levels of achievement until they are ready to resume their lives in the outside world with strengthened coping capabilities.
At Resolution Ranch teens develop positive self-evaluation and introspection skills. At each learning level, boys take part in an activity or response writing that is read and evaluated by a counselor. As Level 1 Ranch Hands new boys learn respect, awareness and honesty. Level 2 Cattle Men focus on learning goal setting, confidence and responsibility. Level 3 Ropers learn humility, resolve and character building. Level 4 Wranglers work on helpfulness, relationship building, dealing with change, and making amends. Level 5 Cowboys learn about hope, affirmation and commitment.
As each boy works on his individual goals, feedback from the group builds confidence and commitment to recovery. Group therapy sessions allow feelings to be openly expressed in a nurturing environment. A “group” can be called at any time by any member of the community. Peer affirmation and evaluation helps teens counter negative behaviors and reinforce positive behaviors.”

If you are looking for help for a troubled teen visit

this link.
(source)

The youth of today are faced with many different challenges and pressures on every front.  They are pressured by peers to experiment with drugs and engage in sexual activities.  It is difficult for the youth of today to stand up to the pressures of their peers they “hang out” with.  Some teens can experiment with drugs a little and decide if they like the experience.  If they decide they don’t like the way they feel when they are high they quit and move on.  The problem is some youth are unable to stop after their first experience.  With Meth such an affordable drug and so readily available many teens are unable to break the craving to continue to use it.  It is a fact that many people become a Meth addict after one experimental try of the deadly drug.   For more information on this popular drug follow this link to Meth information.  The link will take you to a site entitled Teen Success.  The site is very informative and can give you suggestions on how to help your teen succeed.  You can also find information on boarding schools for troubled teens.

Tipton Academy is one school that Teen Success refers to.   Tipton Academy is an all boy campus using positive peer pressure and a unique dog training program.  The boys are able to train a dog and then help the recipient, a physically challenged person learn to utilize the animal.  This method has proven very successful, and has assisted many teens in turning their lives around.  The positive peer pressure is very effective in helping teens learn how to motivate each other and how to receive constructive criticism.  The teen is much more likely to respond to direction from a peer than an adult.  This is why the positive peer culture has proven so effective.

Meadowlark Academy is another program the Teen Success refers to.  It is an all girl’s facility also using positive peer pressure combined with the dog training program.  Girls are able to train the dogs very effectively and the dogs respond very well to them.  The girls are also responsive to the positive peer pressure.  In many cases the problems troubled teens have in life are tied to following the crowd mostly because of the peer pressure that drives the crowd.  Once a teen learns to be free thinking, independent, and not so worried about what their negative friends think they are well on their way to success. 

When a teen heads down the road of substance abuse parents first reaction is usually shock that their baby has entered world of teen age drug abuse.  In todays society youth are starting earlier and earlier on gateway drugs like marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco.  When the newness wears off they move into more destructive drugs and usually a new circle of friends.  With new more expensive drugs youth are then forced to find ways to support their new sources of recreation.  This usually comes in the form of stealing from family members, shoplifting, and even dealing to pay for their own habit.

Parents are usually shocked to find that their child has been selling drugs to support their own habit.  Once admitted into a program teens will honestly reveal the extent of their abuse.  Most parents are oblivious to the fact that their child was even using drugs let alone dealing in them.  At Tipton Academy many students have come clean about the issues they had prior to their enrollment in this boarding school for troubled teens.  Part of the healing process for parents and students is to for the teen to divulge everything he has done before he was placed.  This can be very difficult, but is very effect in the overall healing process employed by Tipton Academy.

Tipton Academy also has some very effective parent seminars.  These are scheduled quarterly and have proven to be an integral part of the student and parent coming back together.  A parent can feel so alone, especially right after enrolling their child in a program.  Tipton Academy has a parent support network that can provide comfort and a great deal of support.  Parents feel that they finally have someone they can talk to who can understand what they are going through.  If you would like more information please contact Tipton Academy direct 877 968 8443.

One of the troubled teen boarding schools that we refer to is Tipton Academy.  They have been helping families for a little over three years.  They use some unique techniques to help young men make changes in their lives. 

Tipton Academy utilizes Positive Peer Culture along with a dog training program that allows the young men to train/foster a puppy while they are making changes in their own lives. 
 Programs have successfully used animals for many years to help youth make changes in their behaviors.  It is impressive to watch the impact it has on a boy when he sees that his outbursts scare his dog.  At the very least the dog’s reaction initiates the young man to stop and think about how he is speaking to others, leading him to learning ways speak rationally to those he is in conflict with.  Another advantage of this program occurs when the boys are able to train the new owner of the dog they have been training.  This is an emotional event has a positive impact on both the recipient and the trainer. 

Tipton Academy is fortunate to have competent leadership with years of experience in helping troubled teens.  Michael McClendon is the Director at Tipton Academy.   Mike, or Big Mike as the boys call him has 10 years practical application using the positive peer techniques.  In Mike’s words, “It takes more patience to use this type of program because the boys actually prove to themselves that life is easier when they behave properly.  This happens when a student is forced to face the “natural consequences” of his choice and actions.  The best example of this is when two boys arrive at approximately the same time.  When one boy making appropriate choices advances and the other student who arrived at approximately the same does not advance, the natural consequences are explained to the boy.   Once he is able to clearly see he is his own worst enemy, the one who controls his own progress he will usually begin to start make better choices.  This lesson also has true life applications; when someone makes good choices they achieve positive things, just as negative choices and actions reap negative rewards and consequences”.