| You've done your homework and you're now | | | | family's outlook. A Southern Baptist family may |
| considering a Christian boarding school for your | | | | love the idea of a Christian boarding school as an |
| troubled teen. That can be a wonderful decision. | | | | intervention for a troubled teen, but they may be |
| However, you'll want to make the right decision | | | | uncomfortable if the school under consideration is |
| about which school to consider. Here are a few | | | | Catholic and makes a point of teaching religious |
| factors to consider. | | | | lessons from a Catholic perspective. |
| First, although it may not be a pleasant factor to | | | | Third, parents must thoroughly investigate the |
| keep on your list, you must consider the cost of | | | | Christian boarding school under consideration. While |
| the school. We'd all like to take a "price is no | | | | most of these institutions are wonderful and offer |
| object" perspective, but the fact of the matter is | | | | tremendous promise for troubled teens, there are |
| that most of us do have financial limitations. A | | | | occasional rotten apples in the barrel. One doesn't |
| Christian boarding school can be expensive and | | | | want to accidentally send a child into a destructive |
| there's no way to avoid making cost part of the | | | | or otherwise inappropriate environment simply |
| decision calculus. | | | | because he or she failed to do a thorough job of |
| Second, parents will want to carefully consider the | | | | research. |
| nature of the school's Christian teaching. Some of | | | | Fourth, it's important to consider the school from |
| these institutions make religion a key component | | | | multiple perspectives. Working on the troubled |
| of every day. Others are almost secular, although | | | | teen's problems may be a priority, but the quality |
| they share nominal connection to a specific church. | | | | of the academic program, the ability to prepare |
| They may have very little religious education or | | | | students for college and a host of other |
| directions on a day to day basis. Parents will want | | | | considerations should be considered before making |
| to select an option that appeals to their feelings | | | | a decision about which school is right for one's |
| on those issues. Furthermore, many parents will | | | | child. |
| want to think about the nature of the religious | | | | If you're considering a Christian boarding school |
| perspective and whether or not the likely | | | | for your child, you'll want to think about all of |
| teachings are sufficiently compatible with their | | | | these issues before making a decision. |