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07.09.08, 09:01 AM General Topics
18 replies
We don't live in the US, though we are from there, and have a 10yo dd (our eldest). She is BEGGING to go to boarding school in a year because many of her friends will be going. I'm not totally against boarding school for high school (I went myself and personally hated it but know many who loved it), but I can't see sending an 11yo... any thoughts or BTDT? Thank you! [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 07.09.08, 09:01 AM Flag
 

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Most of the dcs I knew who went to boarding school for middle school were usually sent there due to some difficulty in their home life situation (bad divorce, etc.) OR because they lived someplace that had inadequate schools for them (LD, small rural school, not challenging enoough school, 3rd world country, etc.). I'd never known anyone to CHOOSE boarding school that young. That being said, I was dying to go to boarding school starting in 6th grade, although I did not end up going until 10th. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:07 AM Flag
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op - we live in Europe where many people CHOOSE to send their dcs away at 11... [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:09 AM Flag
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OR: I mean the child choosing, not the parent. The parents who choose boarding school, IME, seem to do so for reasons I stated above - although I know that there are far more European boarding schools that accept that age group than there are such schools in the US. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:12 AM Flag
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I guess I was saying that many Europeans choose to send their kids to school because that is what is "done" or they went themselves, not for your reasons above (which i agree with in the US, primarily) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:14 AM Flag
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I assume you must be in the UK, I grew up in continental Europe and it was just not done. Honestly I would never give my dc that choice, 11 yo is way too early to live away from the parents assuming you have a normal happy family. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:27 AM Flag
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actually, we are in Switzerland and it is fairly common here [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:29 AM Flag
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ok, I thought about that after I posted. Switzerland is far from typical European experience though, in many many ways. You can't say Europeans send their kids away that early, rich Swiss people may, and some wealthy British nobility, that's about where it ends. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:33 AM Flag
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I know many people who are not very wealthy or nobility in UK, Switzerland, France and Belgium who send their kids to boarding school - there is more diversity than you may think [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:34 AM Flag
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OR: Yes, I think you're right, especially in the US and Switzerland. And there are probably kids who choose it because that's what everyone they know is doing. I think my parents would have considered doing it when I was that young IF it was close by enough that I could go home or they could see me on the weekends (like under 2 hours) whereas for HS I was 5+ hours away. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:30 AM Flag
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^^^ oops, I mean UK (not US) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:31 AM Flag
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I guess I would potentially consider it under those circumstances (or maybe she could attend as a day student for the first year and switch to boarding if she wanted to the next)... [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:32 AM Flag
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^^^ She is a very mature 10yo, speaks 4 languages fluently and doesn't have a problem being away from home (goes on trips without mom and dad frequently)... but, she's still my baby! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:44 AM Flag
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Why does she want to go to boarding school? Are all of her friends going? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:46 AM Flag
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many of her friends (including her 2 closest) will be going. She's at a Swiss school and the only American in her class, and she doesn't understand why her parents don't think boarding school is normal. There are several good continuing schools in our town but many children do go away [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:48 AM Flag
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This is OR from above. Is she an only child? I was very much like this and I just loved the communal living and having friends around all the time thing (I spent 2 summers in boardning school programs at 11 yo and 14 yo) which is why I wanted to go. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:50 AM Flag
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No, we have 3- she's the eldest. Younger sibs are 7 and almost 5 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:51 AM Flag
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hmm, than it may just be that she wants to do what all her friends are doing. can you let her apply and leave the final decision to next spring? feelings can change... [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:56 AM Flag
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That is a good point. I guess we can apply... the other issue is paying for the schools, which are ridiculously expensive (at least the ones her friends plan to go to) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:58 AM Flag
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