Considering boarding school - son currently in 7th grade

[Anonymous]

https://www.mercersburg.edu/admission/connect-us

[Anonymous]

I went to boarding school for high school. My idea — I wanted more academic challenge. I loved it!

I know my parents missed me and I missed them, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to Hotchkiss in Lakeville, CT. It was a wonderful experience and plan to send me children.

https://www.hotchkiss.org/

Hotchkiss is a good choice if you want your child to go to Yale. Less so now than it used to be, but there is a strong connection. Likewise, Andover & Exeter for Harvard.

Hotchkiss & Yale alum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Hotchkiss in Lakeville, CT. It was a wonderful experience and plan to send me children.

https://www.hotchkiss.org/

Hotchkiss is a good choice if you want your child to go to Yale. Less so now than it used to be, but there is a strong connection. Likewise, Andover & Exeter for Harvard.

Hotchkiss & Yale alum.

That’s really not a thing anymore. I also don’t believe you that you went to Hotchkiss because if you did, you’d know that Andover was a traditional Yale feeder school and Exeter was a traditional Harvard school.

- Andover alum

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is in FCPS.
He loves school - or at least he did, before COVID. He is highly social. He has never been prepped or tutored and is doing well in AAP, immersion language, and Algebra 1 HN in spite of it being virtual. He is interested in social issues and history, and is a very solid swimmer on a year round team.

The reasons I am considering boarding school for him for 9th (and maybe even 8th) are several, as I see them:

1. Complete failure of FCPS to provide an environment where my son can learn and grow socially (and he has a large social appetite) and this is important
2. Opportunities for independence. He wants this but in our current situation he just doesn’t have this
3. More academic rigor. He’s actually complained about this in current school.
4. My job as parent would change from feeding/driving/micromanaging to a different type of parental relationship, maybe sort of an advisor
5. His dad will be overseas for several years. My career is also demanding. We do get good time off from our jobs but when I’m working it’s intense. We’re divorced. Selling house soon and may move around a little. Boarding school would be stable.

Does this sound like a good situation for him? Where could we reasonably expect him to get in where he would thrive? Dad’s family will pay for it.

Stop blaming COVID and the school system. This isn't a covid issue. Send the kid to live with Dad. That's pretty sad that you don't want to parent and your career is the priority. He needs that social outlet as he has two uninvolved parents who don't want him living with them.

He may not want to go with Dad. Dad is going overseas for 3 years. It might not be a place DS wants to go to.
And yes, aside from making sure my kids are healthy and happy, my career is a priority. I am not going to apologize for that and I do not believe it makes me a bad mom. And I believe my son is the kind of kid who would be happy and healthy at boarding school.

You came to the DCUM boards to ask and then you are upset that you are getting honest feedback. Sorry but you and your ex sound like a poor excuses for a parents. No it's not good parenting to farm a 7th grader out to boarding school to allow you to enjoy your career and be an "advisor" middle school CHILDREN need parents not a staff. I feel sorry for your child. Your career should never be your priority over your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Hotchkiss in Lakeville, CT. It was a wonderful experience and plan to send me children.

https://www.hotchkiss.org/

Hotchkiss is a good choice if you want your child to go to Yale. Less so now than it used to be, but there is a strong connection. Likewise, Andover & Exeter for Harvard.

Hotchkiss & Yale alum.

That’s really not a thing anymore. I also don’t believe you that you went to Hotchkiss because if you did, you’d know that Andover was a traditional Yale feeder school and Exeter was a traditional Harvard school.

- Andover alum

You can always tell an Andover alum but you can't tell him much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Son is in FCPS.
He loves school - or at least he did, before COVID. He is highly social. He has never been prepped or tutored and is doing well in AAP, immersion language, and Algebra 1 HN in spite of it being virtual. He is interested in social issues and history, and is a very solid swimmer on a year round team.

The reasons I am considering boarding school for him for 9th (and maybe even 8th) are several, as I see them:

1. Complete failure of FCPS to provide an environment where my son can learn and grow socially (and he has a large social appetite) and this is important
2. Opportunities for independence. He wants this but in our current situation he just doesn’t have this
3. More academic rigor. He’s actually complained about this in current school.
4. My job as parent would change from feeding/driving/micromanaging to a different type of parental relationship, maybe sort of an advisor
5. His dad will be overseas for several years. My career is also demanding. We do get good time off from our jobs but when I’m working it’s intense. We’re divorced. Selling house soon and may move around a little. Boarding school would be stable.

Does this sound like a good situation for him? Where could we reasonably expect him to get in where he would thrive? Dad’s family will pay for it.

Stop blaming COVID and the school system. This isn't a covid issue. Send the kid to live with Dad. That's pretty sad that you don't want to parent and your career is the priority. He needs that social outlet as he has two uninvolved parents who don't want him living with them.

He may not want to go with Dad. Dad is going overseas for 3 years. It might not be a place DS wants to go to.
And yes, aside from making sure my kids are healthy and happy, my career is a priority. I am not going to apologize for that and I do not believe it makes me a bad mom. And I believe my son is the kind of kid who would be happy and healthy at boarding school.

You came to the DCUM boards to ask and then you are upset that you are getting honest feedback. Sorry but you and your ex sound like a poor excuses for a parents. No it's not good parenting to farm a 7th grader out to boarding school to allow you to enjoy your career and be an "advisor" middle school CHILDREN need parents not a staff. I feel sorry for your child. Your career should never be your priority over your child.

Hmmm, there are definitely some haters on here but much of the “honest feedback” here has actually been supportive, so I’ll take it!
I know my kid best. And we’re probably not looking at boarding for 7th, even though it could be great for him. We may stay put for 8th as well, depending on how things go. But I know DC is missing out on so much growing that he could be doing if he had more independence and kids to be around. And at his current trajectory, by 9th he will be bursting at the seams for more independence and more challenges.
We are definitely going to look at Mercersburg especially due to its proximity to the area and other reasons PPs have cited. I have no problem driving back and forth up North either if that’s what DC wants to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Hotchkiss in Lakeville, CT. It was a wonderful experience and plan to send me children.

https://www.hotchkiss.org/

Hotchkiss is a good choice if you want your child to go to Yale. Less so now than it used to be, but there is a strong connection. Likewise, Andover & Exeter for Harvard.

Hotchkiss & Yale alum.

That’s really not a thing anymore. I also don’t believe you that you went to Hotchkiss because if you did, you’d know that Andover was a traditional Yale feeder school and Exeter was a traditional Harvard school.

- Andover alum

You can always tell an Andover alum but you can't tell him much.

? Was there anything that was incorrect in my post? The only person making factual errors here is you.

[Anonymous]

Moniti Meliora Sequamur

[Anonymous]

I went to boarding school for two years. It’s like going to college early. Will never do that with my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to boarding school for two years. It’s like going to college early. Will never do that with my kids.

Ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McDonogh, just outside Baltimore, has a 5 day boarding option and strong academics and swimming. Could be best of both worlds.

+1 McD boarding was my choice when I wanted somewhere more academically challenging than our local public school. I considered some of the NE schools and visited friends at Andover but preferred McD because I was home on weekends with my family. Maybe not the best bubble for Covid, but great as an intermediate between the academics that I was looking for and leaving home completely as a 14 year old.

Curious why you wanted to leave home at 14.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McDonogh, just outside Baltimore, has a 5 day boarding option and strong academics and swimming. Could be best of both worlds.

+1 McD boarding was my choice when I wanted somewhere more academically challenging than our local public school. I considered some of the NE schools and visited friends at Andover but preferred McD because I was home on weekends with my family. Maybe not the best bubble for Covid, but great as an intermediate between the academics that I was looking for and leaving home completely as a 14 year old.

Curious why you wanted to leave home at 14.

DP, but someone who also chose to go to boarding school. I wanted the academic challenge and I was always an independent kid. Didn’t mean I didn’t love my family.