Help for Troubled Boys — Consider Gateway Academy

It is understandable for parents to be frustrated with a rebellious teen. A sweet elementary schooler can, seemingly in the blink of an eye, transform overnight, due to negative peer influences or trauma in his life. It’s a pattern that countless parents struggle with. Getting help for a troubled boy is one of the best things you can do for your son’s future, and for your family.

Potential Sources of Help for Troubled Boys

Nobody expects you to solve everything on your own, and that is why resources outside of the home are available for teen help. In most cases, a combination of several of these will have the best chance of reaching your son and helping to truly change him and help him rediscover his true self.

• Home: The home environment is a critical place for shaping the hearts and minds of boys, but the influence of home on their lives changes as they grow up. While babies and toddlers are often raised almost entirely in the home, as boys grow older, they spend less and less time at home. In addition, they begin to rebel against their parents, who tend to have a lot of influence at home. It’s completely normal for your troubled son to not be responding well to you and to be avoiding spending time at home with your family. No matter how hard you try, your efforts at home may not be able to reach and change your son. You can help by continually providing love and support to your son, and trying new ways to connect with him in ways that are meaningful to him.
• School: Boys typically spend more of their waking hours at school than at any other single place, and this fact alone makes the school a place to look to when you need help for troubled boys. Your son’s guidance counselor, school administrators, and teachers may be able to work with you to get through to your son. However, you have to make sure that everybody is on the same page, which can be tough in a public school setting where demands on teachers’ time are already high and staff is stretched thin.
• Extracurricular activities: Boys often get into trouble because they are spending their free time with the wrong crowd, often engaging in destructive or illegal activities. One way to provide help for troubled boys is to get them involved in productive extracurricular activities that will be a positive influence in their life. Sports teams with strong coaches who are good role models are one of the most popular options. Academic clubs, community service groups, outdoor adventure groups, and musical hobbies can also be useful extracurricular activities to help boys direct their energy in positive ways.
• Church: Pastors, other adults, and even peers at church can all help troubled boys by giving them broader perspective and purpose in their lives. When a troubled boy truly encounters and comes into relationship with Jesus, his life is forever changed. Influences at church can help a boy understand who God created him to be and how he can walk out that calling. The church can also help boys receive healing and forgiveness for their past troubles.
• Mentors: Individuals who truly take the time to know and invest in your son are going to be one of the best sources of help. In order to truly get through to him, though, they need to be people who your son is willing to trust and open up to, which is why family members don’t typically make the best mentors. A good mentor will help your son identify and understand his long-term goals and shape his character and actions in ways that will help him achieve those goals.
• Professional counseling: When the above sources of help have not worked, professional counseling is another resource you can turn to. Trained counselors, especially those who work with adolescent boys on a regular basis, can bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to your situation. Counselors provide help for a troubled boy by talking them through their feelings and behaviors, and some counselors can also help with drug and alcohol recovery if your son has been drinking or experimenting with drugs.

Why a Christian Boarding School May Provide the Best Help for Troubled Boys

When you are ready to try something different, a Christian boarding school should be at the top of your list of sources of help for troubled teens. It combines nearly all of the potential ways to reach your son into one comprehensive program that has a strong likelihood of success. Each of the teachers, mentors, coaches, and staff has experience working with boys like yours, and they can bring their training, expertise, and fresh perspective to your son and his situation. 

Another major reason to look into Christian boarding schools is because your son is in need of heart transformation. You can point your son to all sorts of help for troubled boys, but if they’re not reaching him at a heart level, he isn’t going to experience true change. When he spends time at a Christian boarding school, he will be around so many positive influences that can point him to Jesus and bring him into a life-changing relationship. Even boys who have grown up in Christian homes find that their faith flourishes when they really take hold of it for themselves. Christian boarding schools provide plenty of opportunities for Bible study, input from Christian mentors, and spending time in discussions with peers whose lives have been changed by relationship with Jesus Christ.

Consider Gateway Academy for Your Troubled Boy

When you are looking for answers for your troubled teen, look to Gateway Academy. We are an affordable, secure, Christian boarding school that guides troubled boys through the process of growing into confident young men who act with respect and integrity. Gateway Academy may be the right choice for your son and your family if your teenage son is currently out of control and headed down a dark and dangerous path. Please contact us at gba.admissions@teenchallenge.cc or 850-547-9011 to get started.