Why you should think twice before sending your daughter to boarding school

[Anonymous]

For the record my mom, and two aunts attended boarding schools, as did one of my grandparents, and many acquaintances. I was reviewing info anecdotes and yearbooks related to boarding schools and it is very apparent that girls often have a tough time at them. They often remark that it was a hard and challenging experience and praise their teachers and friends for putting up with them and their emotions. They also often say many tears were shed and grade 8 was the hardest.

Oddly, in their year books many said it was "worth it". Will they say the same thing years later?

Now knowing all this, why do parents send their kids to them. They seem like they could do a lot of damage

[Anonymous]

Gosh, you know what? I often had a tough time at public school in my local district. It was a hard and challenging experience and many tears were shed.

Knowing this, why do parents send their kids to public school? They seem like they could do a lot of damage.

[Anonymous]

What a weird post. How many yearbooks did you review? Why did you only review posts from girls? I assume that the boys are doing just fine at boarding school?

I went to boarding school and I am female. Was it hard? Yes. Was it the best experience of my life? Yes. 40 years later I am still close to the friends from high school. I speak to two of them 2/3xs a week. They are my sisters.

Send your kids to boarding school! It will enrich their lives for the better. I read a few yearbooks and they said they liked it!

This is a ridiculous post.

[Anonymous]

My best friend’s kid got sucked into drugs at boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, you know what? I often had a tough time at public school in my local district. It was a hard and challenging experience and many tears were shed.

Knowing this, why do parents send their kids to public school? They seem like they could do a lot of damage.

+1

I had a tough time in public school. I look back at it as the worst time of my life. I was a straight A varsity athlete with tons of friends. I still hated it and never felt a true connection with any of my "friends". I would have benefited greatly from boarding school. I would have had the chance to meet more ambitious women, like me. Maybe I would have made lasting friendships. I feel like i would have had more confidence as a woman to succeed in business. I am successful but suffer from impostor syndrome. I begged my parents to send me to boarding but we couldn't afford it. If my daughter wants to go, I will gladly help her search for the right fit!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My best friend’s kid got sucked into drugs at boarding school.

Your friends kid makes bad choices. He/she would have made bad choices at home too.

[Anonymous]

At boarding schools, kids are basically on their own - just like another poster said “much like college”. We pulled our kid out and it was sheer hell getting reacclamated to family life. Kids are raising themselves there with zero parental support.

[Anonymous]

If it’s a good fit, boarding school is an excellent adventure — think Hogwarts. It can be a great antidote to a helicopter parent, although some manage to still hover, even renting/buying in close proximity to the school.

My sense from boarding school grads of top schools is that they rarely have regrets about their decision to go.

[Anonymous]

It is so tough to be rich + go to an elite boarding school that costs more than the average American salary. Give us a break OP.

[Anonymous]

8th grade girl drama that involves crying? I'm shocked.

[Anonymous]

Grade 8 is part of middle school. Middle school sucks for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, you know what? I often had a tough time at public school in my local district. It was a hard and challenging experience and many tears were shed.

Knowing this, why do parents send their kids to public school? They seem like they could do a lot of damage.

+1. In 8th grade public I figured out smoking, drinking, sex, and pot. I skipped class for most of 8th grade. However, I showed up for exams and turned in assignments on time. Got straight As. I forged my moms signature on my absence notes. My parents had no idea that what I was doing while I was supposed to be at school. I left for school on time and came home when it was expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At boarding schools, kids are basically on their own - just like another poster said “much like college”. We pulled our kid out and it was sheer hell getting reacclamated to family life. Kids are raising themselves there with zero parental support.

But age 14-18 is much trickier since that is such a developmental time with the emotional regulation not developed yet.

Leaving at 18 with loving and caring parents providing guidance and stepping in and providing boundaries is much better IMO.

Unless the parents are incredibly uninvolved or the home life is acrimonious, it's better for the kids to be in their home in those volatile teen years and leave as an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, you know what? I often had a tough time at public school in my local district. It was a hard and challenging experience and many tears were shed.

Knowing this, why do parents send their kids to public school? They seem like they could do a lot of damage.

+1. In 8th grade public I figured out smoking, drinking, sex, and pot. I skipped class for most of 8th grade. However, I showed up for exams and turned in assignments on time. Got straight As. I forged my moms signature on my absence notes. My parents had no idea that what I was doing while I was supposed to be at school. I left for school on time and came home when it was expected.

Your parents were clearly uninvolved and clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My best friend’s kid got sucked into drugs at boarding school.

Your friends kid makes bad choices. He/she would have made bad choices at home too.

I also got into drugs and drinking at boarding school. I don't think it would have happened if I were living at home. I was a "good kid" before I left and don't think I would've had the same opportunities to get into drugs and alcohol if I were still living with my parents, who were pretty strict. It was so easy to sneak around at boarding school