SUWS Can Help Your Children Achieve New Successes in the New Year

By Leslie Davis

Spending the holidays without your children is probably not your idea of a dream December. You’d like nothing more than to have a nice family meal beside the Christmas tree, and to wake up to the excitement of opening presents with your kids.

But if your teens have been disrespectful, acting out, engaging in substance abuse or exhibiting other behavioral issues, the best gift you may be able to give them is some time away. Spending time over the holiday break at SUWS wilderness therapy program can help your teens change their problematic behaviors and come home ready to be successful in the new year.

“A wilderness program is such a great gift to your teens,” said Dan Kemp, director of admissions at SUWS. “Your teens will learn coping skills and build their self-worth and self-esteem.”

Instead of trying to make it through yet another holiday hoping that your teens won’t act out, have them learn new positive coping and communication skills at a wilderness therapy program so that they can enjoy future holidays with their family. 

You’ve Seen it Coming

Chances are you have seen your teens’ behaviors worsening during the year, and have been waiting for what you felt was the “right time” to do something about it. If your teens are in trouble and you don’t know what else to do, the SUWS wilderness therapy programs may be just what you need.

“If you have a teen who is struggling, you know it — and we’re here to help you,” Kemp said. Through the backdrop of the wilderness and experiential learning, SUWS helps students recognize and build upon their own sense of self-worth as they learn the value of helping others.

Take Advantage of Winter Break

Most teens have at least two weeks off from school during the holiday season. With SUWS wilderness programs running 28 days, that means less time that your teens will miss school. It also means an opportunity for your teens to return from holiday break in a success-oriented state of mind.

“It’s a great time to take advantage of this opportunity as students are already out of school,” Kemp said. “Remember that the holiday is really only one day, but the program can permanently help your teen have new successes in the new year.”

A Needed Break

The stress of the holidays can cause old issues to resurface and new ones to come up, triggering your teens’ substance abuse or behavioral issues. No matter how hard you try to prevent this from happening, it may not be something you can prevent.

Many times, what teens need to reset their behaviors is some time away from their family and school (which is what may be triggering their behaviors in the first place).

“Holidays are stressful, families are stressful,” Kemp said. “Why not give your teens an opportunity to have a successful Christmas and a great new year?”

Don’t Reward Bad Behavior

Overloading your teens with shiny electronics and new clothes won’t make their problems go away. In fact, you may be rewarding their bad behavior by ignoring it and giving them presents instead.

The best gift you can give your troubled teens is time to work through their issues and learn the communication and coping skills they need to manage their behaviors. When they return from the SUWS wilderness program, you can give your kids the presents you’ve been holding onto — only this time, you’ll be rewarding the positive changes they’ve made.

Postponing Won’t Stop the Behaviors

Many parents wait to send their kids to wilderness camp or another adolescent treatment center after the holidays, hoping to just make it through the holidays without any unnecessary drama.

Your teens’ dangerous and destructive behaviors won’t magically fix themselves during the holidays. If anything, postponing treatment will only make them worse. “You’ve seen this coming, and you know you need to do something to help,” Kemp said. “The SUWS program is an opportunity to have them really return from Christmas break successful.”

Wilderness Programs a Timeless Gift

A 28-day wilderness program can provide your teens with skills that will serve them well in the new year and beyond. “It provides the ability to make drastic changes in a short time,” Kemp said.

While winter wilderness camps are run much the same as they are during the rest of the year — meaning all activities are held outdoors in a mountain environment — students are provided with all necessary weather-appropriate gear to ensure that they are kept warm, dry and safe.
                                                                                                
“Give your teens an opportunity around the holidays to be successful,” Kemp said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for student and family reunification.”