Big Brother, Big Influence

In helping a troubled teen through a difficult adolescence, a therapeutic boarding school is also helping him mend his broken family relationships, including those with his siblings. Recently, a young student who had been implicated in a theft told his story. He mentioned that he had unknowingly involved his innocent younger brother in the incident, for which he was particularly sorry. Perhaps no other relationship is so susceptible to role modeling and hero-worshipping than that of a young boy to his older brother. In listening to the story, another boy was especially vocal in relating his experience. It seems his older brother had run into problems some years ago and ended up here at the school, but not before he had negatively influenced his younger brother---the one who is here now.

A great many students who have walked through these doors have ended up apologizing and making amends to younger siblings for not being the big brother or big sister they needed; for not being the role model they should have been. Learning never to underestimate the power of example is an all-important---even life-changing---lesson for troubled teens trying to turn themselves around.