Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Brat Camp

Unusually Resistant Kids, Or Softer Program

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Anonymous:

--- Quote ---On 2005-07-24 18:50:00, dougm wrote:

"Once again, I will reiterate...wilderness therapy isn't for everyone. I know the parents aren't perfect, and that's why during the kid's stay at SageWalk, the parents also go to therapy. As for kids being sent because of religious reasons, that disgusts me because I am an atheist myself, I couldn't imagine my parents being that, for lack of a better word, dumb. But regardless of sending a kid to wilderness therapy for the wrong reasons, that doesn't detract from the fact that for some kids, wilderness therapy is the right treatment.



And I still don't understand why everyone solely blames the parents. Even assuming that the parents are bad parents (which isn't true in all cases like everyone on here seems to believe), does that excuse the child for partaking in bad behaviors?"

--- End quote ---


Please define bad behaviors. What if the child is acting out because they were abused? What if it's emotional abuse at home? Do they ever get kids and say, oh actually this particular problem isnt' your fault, this is more of your parent's fault. You should go home now. I doubt it, in fact, I bet that NEVER happens. That is a red flag that what is going on there isn't therapeutic at all, they aren't looking at the SPECIFIC cases to see what's needed. You admit it's not for everyone. Well shouldn't the camp be the ones admitting that, not you? They are the supposed professionals that these families turn to for help. Shouldn't they be telling the families what all their options are and refusing to admit certain kids who wouldn't benefit? They don't do that because they are egomaniacs and believe they know "the answer." That is the last type of person that should be a counselor, and the last type of person I would want working with KIDS of all people.

Me, I don't solely blame the parents, I also blame the facility. The kids are, lets not forget, kids. If the parents would follow the same lesson that's being taught to the kids, they would stop blaming them and sending them off to camps in the first place. Maybe that's why kids act out to begin with. But even the kids with severe behavior problems, I just don't see how teaching them that everything is always their fault and never anybody else's is going to benefit them. Yeah, they may stop being angry, but they will be essentially defenseless in the world, unable to see what their needs are and unable to see when they are being mistreated. How can we take proper emotional care of ourselves if we believe that every single thing that happens to us is our fault? Isn't this low-self esteem? The lesson they kept talking about in the camp when they were hiking -- that nobody will be there to help you--- that is sickening. What could be sadder than that? Plus it's all contrived. The only reason they have to do that hike by themselves is because the camp is making them do it alone and carry all that shit so they can't even help each other out. Whatever. These insane egomaniacs need to stop working with kids.

bandit1978:
The parents have a responsibility to thoroughly investigate any program they send their kids to.  This includes traveling to the place and touring the ENTIRE facility, meeting the staff and students, reading the student rulebook, asking specific questions, and doing a thorough backround check.  

If a kid ends up in an abusive facility, yes, of course it's the parents fault...entirely.  It's their responsibility to remain grounded and be sure they are not being bamboozled by these program people.

Anonymous:
Thank you, Bandit. There is no excuse for parents not to know.

Anonymous:
To Megan--
I agree totally with you, and also disagree, if you know what I mean. I totally agree that it is actually the parent's full responsibilty to investigate these places and use...I don't know...a little common sense in picking out a place for their child. If they don't do that, I question that the parent maybe isn't as responsible as is needed to take proper care of a child. I also, and not to contradict that, but I also think the government has a responsibility to regulate these places and make sure they are not abusing kids. Because there are parents out there who are going to make innappropriate decisions, the government should have safeguards set up to catch this sort of stuff. I think sometimes people just assume that they are being properly regulated and that no abuse is going on in an open (and apparently legal) facility like this. I also think the licensing boards are responsible...they are the ones supposedly checking the quality of the professional services offered and the training they obtain. And the government is in many instances relying on their judgement to see if they are operating properly ie if they have a license.

We all grow up being taught that the police are your friends, who do you call if you need help? The police. What do you do if you need help with emotional problems...why you see a "professional." But what gets left out of this equation unfortunately is that all professionals etc. are not created equally.

Anonymous:
Let's not forget the ed cons and the parent owned and operated referral agencies who make a living filling up these programs.

What a racket this is! Parents helping other parents place their kid in a "TROUBLED" program?  One that PAYS them a finder's fee?  

Shame on them! Heaven forbid they go out and get a real job.  One that does not involve preying on desperate parents and their children.

Totally sick!

:flame:

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