Why Should You Consider A Teen Wilderness Camp this Christmas

Holidays can be an emotional time for everyone, but for troubled teens, it can be one of the times of the year they struggle the most. With an emphasis on obligation and an almost-forced cheerfulness, holidays can become more of a stress than a wonderful time for your teenager.

As hard as it is to consider, this Christmas may be the perfect time to send your troubled teen to get the help they need, and a teen wilderness camp can be an amazing option. If you are wondering how a wilderness camp operates during the holidays, see below for what happens at a wilderness camp during the Christmas season.

Everything that happens during the other seasons. Even with a holiday-centric time of year, wilderness camps go on with a certain routine that is designed to encourage growth and change in your teen. This will include therapy sessions, both group and individual, camping trips, letters home (phone calls if appropriate) and regular guidance for survival skills taught by regular employees.

Special meals for celebrations. If your teen looks forward to holiday meals every year, he/she is not alone! The regular menu is often thrown out in favor of family favorites like turkey, stuffing, ham and desserts. This encourages a sense of home for the teens at camp, and communication between peers as it becomes a sort of “family dinner.”

Gift giving and community service. One thing that can be lost on this age is the importance of giving, especially during the holiday season. Campers may be encouraged to handcraft small gifts or choose appropriate gifts for other campers or for a community service project. Volunteering for different duties may also be encouraged as a way to learn more about the jobs at the wilderness camp and heighten confidence in campers.

Education about different backgrounds. With campers coming from all parts of the country, the holidays are a great time to teach your teen how to celebrate diversity. There may be educational speeches about different religious celebrations, as well as participating in different cultural traditions among campers. This will not only teach tolerance but encourage your teen to find their own path exploring new and old favorite activities.

A holiday they will never forget. While holidays may always be special, they can sometimes become monotonous, too busy or commercialized. A holiday in the wilderness is like nothing your teen has ever experienced before, with a purity that focuses on the important aspects such as friendship, family and growing. Your teen will remember this holiday in the wilderness for a very long time as they experience a once-in-a-lifetime Christmas.