Click here to find the date of the next available Empowered Parent Conference that works with your schedule. Here you will see the date and times for each day of your conference. Once you are ready, click on the "register" link and you will be taken to the cart where you can select the appropriate quantity for all participating adults in your family. Once this number has been entered simply click "Add to Cart" then fill out the billing information and select the checkout button.
Behavioral Summer Camp: $2,100 for boys or girls summer camp. First come first serve with non refundable amount of $500 retained (per camper) up to May 15th. No refunds after May 15th.
****Summer Camp sells out each year due to the limited spots available. Parents can pay a deposit of $400 to hold their child's spot for Summer Behavioral Camp BEFORE registering and completing the Empowered Parent Conference and Weekend Success Camp. Paying a deposit upfront will guarantee your child's reservation for Summer Behavioral Camp.
Take the online Empowered Parent Conference (at your convenience but must be prior to coming to Weekend Success Camp) or you can choose to take the instructor-led Empowered Parent Conference. This will, of course, require you to come to Jacksonville, FL and will still need to be taken prior to coming to Weekend Success Camp.
The first day of Summer camp for your child will fall on a Weekend Success Camp weekend. Paying for Summer camp includes your summer camper's cost at Weekend Success Camp. You only need to register and pay for the remaining family members that will attend Weekend Success Camp. This will require one trip to Jacksonville to drop off, and one trip to pick up your child from summer camp.
The other option if you cannot wait for the beginning of summer camp is choose from Option 1 to select your Empowered Parent Conference, and then take the next available Weekend Success Camp (see calendar). Then simply drop your child off for Summer Camp and pick them up once summer camp is over.
Note: 90-day minimum due to Virtual School curriculum. Includes everything your child needs, with the exception of medications. Partial scholarships available (must submit previous year's tax return to apply).
Local Empowered Parent Conference non refundable fee of $40 (per paid adult) will be retained, up to the day before the conference begins. The day the conference starts there will be no refunds.
Online Empowered Parent Conference non refundable fee of $125 will be retained for the first parent. Second parent (if purchased) non refundable fee of $45 will be retained.
The Weekend Success Camp non refundable fee of $55 (per paid participant) will be retained up to the day before Camp. The day that Camp begins there will be no refunds.
If you wish to cancel your parent support subscription, you must do so at least 30 days before your next payment is scheduled to draft. Failure to do so will result in a full charge of your next month's payment. *6-month or 12-month pre-paid subscriptions will have the remaining balance refunded once the 30 days notice is received.
Summer Camp non refundable amount of $500 will be retained (per camper) up to May 15th. No refunds after May 15th.
What is Weekend Success Camp?
Weekend Success Camp is a camp for both parents and their children. The price is per parent and per child. You may enroll in Weekend Success Camp only after you have attended (whether onsite or online) the Empowered Parent Conference. Weekend Success Camp is not a drop-off program for someone to fix your child. It is a weekend long camp that shows the Parent how to implement what was taught in the Empowered Parent Conference and teach the Child how this new lifestyle works.
What ages can attend Weekend Success Camp?
We work with children between the ages of 8-17.
Why does the entire family need to attend Weekend Success Camp?
The behavior of one child affects the whole family. So, everyone needs to be present at Weekend Success Camp to learn a new way of behaving and relating as a family unit. Because most of your attention has been focused on your strong-willed child, you may not be able to see just how much of this child's bad behavior has rubbed off on your other children.
What is required to attend Weekend Success Camp?
Outside of paying for Camp, each person must have filled out and signed the required forms (sent after purchasing) or will not be allowed on the premises. The site for Camp is a City of Jacksonville owned property and as such we are required to have these forms filled out for each person attending. Anyone that attempts to enter the property without having completed these forms will be considered trespassing.
January 2017 began our 17th year.
What if I don't live in Jacksonville? Can I still receive help?
Online Empowered Parent Conference – this can be done at your convenience from any location with Internet access.
Signup for the next available Weekend Success Camp which can be found under the calendar tab.
****Out of town parents also have the option of taking an instructor-led conference (dates can be found under the calendar tab) this will, however, require two trips to Jacksonville.
Is it possible to go to Weekend Success Camp before attending an Empowered Parent Conference?
You have not been trained on what to do when your child returns home.
Weekend Success Camp is more about the parent than the child. This program is where you get to see how to do what we taught in the classroom. You would not understand what we are doing or why we are doing it without the Empowered Parent Conference.
You have not been able to show your child a changed parent, which is the biggest key to getting behavior change.
Everything we do is foundational. You cannot start at the end and work back to the beginning.
Do you offer grants or financial support?
We do offer grants and/or financial support for our services. We will try to help everyone who is willing to work and help themselves. If there is a financial need, please contact Melissa@theparenthelpcenter.com.
Is it possible to send your child to Summer Behavioral Camp before attending an Empowered Parent Conference?
The parent still has to attend the Empowered Parent Conference, and Weekend Success Camp (which is the beginning of the Summer Behavioral Camp) before the child starts Summer Camp. The Empowered Parent Conference, and Weekend Success Camp (included in the price for the child attending summer camp) are standalone programs with their own registration costs.
Who is the Empowered Parent Conference for, what does it cost, and what does that cost include?
The Empowered Parent Conference is for the parents only.
The on-site conference costs $295.00 per parent. Lunch is provided on Saturday, and we will also provide snacks throughout the weekend. Parents will go home for the night and return the following day.
The online conference costs $550.00 for the 1st adult and $100 for the 2nd adult. This option is more convenient for those who are unable to travel to the on-site conference.
Do kids attend the Empowered Parent Conference?
What is the purpose of a Parent Support Group?
It will be very hard for the average parent to change the unwanted behavior without support. These weekly Parent Support Group meetings provide that support. This is where we make sure that parents are implementing the curriculum the way it was taught and that children are held accountable for their actions.
What curriculum do you teach at the Empowered Parent Conference?
We teach The Parent Project curriculum with a 100% commitment to the book. We believe that if parents will follow this book, it will save their children. To learn more about the program, visit www.parentproject.com.
How does someone attend weekly Parent Support Groups when they live out of town?
We have weekly conference calls and webinars. The $24.95 monthly parent support fee pays for the weekly support meetings for out-of-town parents.
Will you come to our town and do an Empowered Parent Conference?
We will come to any town where someone is willing to host the conference and cover our travel expenses. Most times, we find churches are more than willing to sponsor the conference. We offer a reduced participant fee for church-sponsored conferences with more than 25 participants. Our travel expenses will need to be covered in advance.
What is the Parent Help Center parenting philosophy?
We do not work with juvenile delinquents—that is what the Department of Juvenile Justice does. We work with good children making bad choices.
Most of us (parents) feel we are parenting failures when we can't stop unwanted child behavior. Being a parent is all about being a good teacher. Remember, our children are still children, and they still need to learn a lot more about controlling their emotions. Children seem to hit or strikeout when they are frustrated. When our children think we don't understand what they are saying or we don't give them what they want, they act out.
Sometimes children misbehave because it gets a strong reaction from us. When our children sense something bothers us, they will keep doing it. Stay calm. Our children will repeat their most annoying behaviors because it gives them emotional power. Most children will never stop testing to see how much power they have or where their boundaries are. Home is the best place to experiment with rules because it is a safe and loving place. Your role as a parent is to respond with clear boundaries and consequences, all in a consistent manner. Work the plan.
Children cannot get what they want until you get what you want. You will have to practice working the plan several times before they realize that you mean what you say. It will take time, but, based on our teaching methods, children will learn that bad behavior does not get them what they want.
Most of today's children have very little patience or thoughtfulness. As parents, we need to take the time to teach our children that we will not jump at their every wish. For example, you can take a few extra minutes before responding to their request. Gently but firmly, teach children that other people have needs, too. Show them by your example. Model the behavior that you expect from your child. Children need to learn they can get things by being nice, not by being angry.
For the strong-willed child, you will have to stand up to them. Yes, the behavior may escalate. Stick to your parenting plan and give children choices. You cannot control them. So, you must convince them that they are in control of their actions.
In time, our children will learn to control their emotions because of your consistence in enforcing the house rules.
What should my child be aware of?
We prefer that the children are not aware of what they are going to do at this camp. Many times (especially for strong willed children) informing the child that they will be attending a 30-day behavioral camp only creates more of a problem for staff when you arrive with your child.
What time should parents arrive at the start of Summer Camp?
Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before start time (9:00pm) as listed on our calendar. There is nothing to do until camp starts, please do not come early.
Please bring the list of items below (and write your Childs name on everything sent) that were sent via email at the time you purchased Summer Camp.
5 sets of clothing (including underwear). Please include at least 2 pairs of jeans in this, as they will be working in the woods part of the time.
2 pair of work shoes (can be tennis shoes – no flip flops).
Any medications they will need along with instructions for administering.
You may also send "sun shirts" (SPF blocking outerwear) if your child burns easily.
For the Weekend Success Camp Weekend portion, Adults will sleep in our Bunkhouse.
For Summer Camp- Children can earn sleeping inside the air conditioned bunkhouse. Remember this is a camp for strong willed children, and is designed to teach them appreciation for your environment as well as responsibility for their actions, and work ethic.
How many kids to a counselor or in a group?
There are no more than 7 kids per staff member as per the FL state regulations. Additionally we group the children (ages 10 and below and children 11 and up), based on age, and work with them separately.
What kind of supervision is there at night?
We take the safety of the children very seriously. There is a staff member on duty each and every night, as well as motion detectors and cameras throughout our camp.
Because this is a behavioral camp, can you tell me about the screening process for the children?
Our screening is based on the documentation provided by the parents. No one with a juvenile record is accepted and we only work with good kids making bad choices.
What kind of background check is done on counselors?
All staff must be verified through the Department of Children and Families background screening process.
Could you tell me what kind of education/certifications the staff members have?
In addition to our staff having background checks through the Department of Children and Families. As an organization, we have a combined 17 plus years of working with at risk children, Crisis Intervention training, CPR, and Parent Project facilitator training. There are also Fire Fighters, EMT, and Police Officers that work with us regularly throughout camp.
What happens if a child is defiant and refuses to participate in something?
They lose privileges. We are well versed in dealing with this type of behavior and are very gifted in teaching children that for every decision in life there are both positive and negative consequences. If however, they become dangerous to themselves or others, law enforcement will be contacted and the parent will be required to pick up the child. This is for the protection of all children and staff at camp.
How do we have contact with our child?
Writing letters is the way we prefer communication be handled. We will also post pictures of your children regularly and the work they are doing through our private Facebook page for summer campers.
What if we have other children, and would like to bring them to drop off our child staying at camp?
Because Summer Camp starts with our Weekend Success Camp experience, we adhere to our regular Weekend Success Camp policy. This states that every minor child on the premises, must participate as a "Camper" and are not allowed to stay with parents in the bunk house. Upon receipt of payment for each sibling, your other children may attend the Weekend Success Camp weekend (and we encourage you to do so) and leave with you once the weekend is over. Remember this is a lifestyle change, and it doesn't work if/when you try and implement one set of rules for your non-compliant child and another set of rules for your other children. We believe that Changed Parents will see changed kids. This means changing the environment for the entire family.