Outward Bound?

[Cheryl]

Does anyone have any exposure to it? My brother wants to send my 15 year old son on a 2 week expedition this summer. My DS is a computer and video game potato!

 

[OurLittleFarm]

Never heard of that one. I had a troubled son and looked into alot of camps. And alot of people said to send him to this camp or that camp. Well I happened to mention to a friend that I was considering it. Now she works with alot of kids and has for years. She said that with all these scam programs out there the only way she would send her kid to a camp was if it was a parent child camp where you get to go together. Or go with another family member.

 

[Cheryl]

They have programs for age groups starting at 14, up to adult and do work with troubled youth.
http://outwardbound.org/
I just need my slug off of the couch!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Send him!! It will be an experience he will never forget!! Builds self confidence, self esteem, learn team work and what you are made of. Hard work, but very safe.

 

[Guitartists]

Sent each one of our kids ages 8, 9 and 9 at the times they went to Alaska to stay for upwards 3 months with their grandmother. Inside the arctic circle, grizzley, caribou, salmon fishing, dog sleds, etc...................... Worried my poor mother sick! Best thing they ever did! Fostered a sense of self worth and made them appreciate the comforts of home all in one trip!

Not sure what exactly your plan entails, I'll have to check out the link you posted, but I think it's good for any kid to get out there and try something new.

 

[Guitartists]

Wow!! I' dsend mine in a heartbeat if I could!!! Looks like a real amazing life experience!

 

[cluckychick]

Join Boy Scouts!!

My son goes on a montly weekend campout and every year we go to a 10 Day Camp. My oldest is an Eagle Scout. I would not trade the experience for nothing, even though there were times I had to push them through, it is good for them. They learn so much from leadership skills, community service projects, helping others, etc...I could go on, lol

My oldest son and I took a 2 week trip to the Boundary Waters w/a High Adventure group...2weeks of no electronics. Just me and him and the great outdoors. He had his adjustment period but we had fun

 

[CritterHill]

I am so jealous! I was dying to go on an outward bound trip when I was a kid.

I would spend hours reading their pamphlets and dreaming about going on one of those trips.

Then I got bit by the horse bug and spent several weeks every summer at a sleep away horseback riding camp where they got you out of your tent at 5:30AM to shovel manure. AND I LOVED IT!

In hindsight, I should have stuck with outward bound.

So, I can't give an opinion since I never went, but as a kid, I totally wanted to go. I'm in my late 30s now, so they have been around quite some time.

I think I would still go given a chance.

 

[crysmom]

I attended a 21 day outward bound program when I was 14. It was hard. It was the "troubled kids program" not sure if it was more aimed at those who couldn't afford the program or at those who needed a change. The one downfall is they put all the "troubled kids" in one group I think it would have been a more effective learning experience if I didn't have 5 people from my high school in my group.

I don't think I was in a position to appreciate all that the program had to offer. But it was a wonderful learning experience. Helped foster an ongoing love for adventure and the knowledge to continue backwoods hiking and rock climbing.

Now as a 30 year old mother of 5 I would love to go on one of their adult women backwoods retreats
Crystal

 

[arlee453]

It's an awsome program - send him!!

I was up for a very prestigious scholarship program in high school to go to UNC-CH (Morehead scholars, for those who know what I'm talking about - made it through several rounds but didn't make the final cut...still went to UNC-CH *go Tarheels* but on a full ride Veterans scholarship instead thanks to the almost 3 yrs my dad spent in a Korean POW camp and the great state of NC's respect for her veterans....but i digress). Each summer they had a different required experience they would send you to as part of the scholarship requirements. Outward Bound was the requirement for the summer before Freshman year.

I got all the information and wanted to win the scholarship just so I could go! At that time (20 yrs ago) part of the experience was spending a night or two alone out in the woods to reflect on the program.

People I knew who did it came back a changed (for the better) person - really builds confidence and teamwork and trust and also helps build maturity as well.

I'd highly recommend it! STIL wish I could go ....