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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Depends on what it is.

I sent my DS away for hockey.  Good choice for us.  There is little abuse in the hockey system (of the sexual variety), and really not of any other kind either.  We see him often, and he loves where he is.

I do not know enough about some of the other options to help, but I do know that dance would make me more nervous due to some of the other pressures--body issues, sexual.  But maybe I'm just a victim of ignorance and too many Lifetime movies there.[/quote]

How have you dealt with him being away? Homesickness? How often do you see him? How do you stay connected with him out of the house? does he stay in a dorm or with another family? What other advice can you offer for things I might not have even though of? 
[/quote]

I can offer you some perspective both from my POV and from that of my best friend whose son went the same time as mine.

My DS went to a (very good and rather well known) boarding school in NE to play hockey as well as another sport.  The academics are very good, and we looked at 6 other schools prior to selecting this one.  He was admitted to all of that, as he is a good student in addition to being a good athlete--we're fortunate in that respect.  Also fortunate in that he did not get homesick.  (I was a different story, however--I cried a lot for the first several weeks, even though I have more kids at home).  Boarding schools have quite a few breaks, he came home for most.  I flew up a lot to see him, and that helped.  He was not a freshman, so a bit older than your DC.

My friend's son also went to New England to play hockey, but not to a boarding school.  He did online school and stayed with a host family.  The living situation was not great, as the host family basically was not there and he virtually ended up living with a couple of other kids on his own.  His parents flew up a lot to see him, and ensured he had plenty of money for food, etc.  He had his own car (boy was 16 when he got there) and made sure he got himself to his practices and games.  His mother had to be much more "hands on" from a distance and was definitely more worried on a daily basis than I was, since my DS was in a more structured environment at a boarding school.

I never thought of sending DS to a boarding school until the opportunity arose and he wanted to do it.  We then started looking into it and let him.  It's hard to say no if it seems to be the right thing for your child, which only you and your family know.  Keeping them at home because you want to without good reason struck me as selfish--I had no good reason other than I wanted him home full time another couple of years.  But it's been good, and he's home more than I thought--and I see him more than I thought.  When he's with us, he wants to be there.  He's thankful we let him go.[/quote]

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