General Chat

Hi all ,My reply was from one of observation,I know everyone is different, and Im sure most of you who went to boarding schol are very normal and well balanced people! I just wanted to say Im not saying your all'Cuckoo'(probably not a very good term to use) so please dont think I meant that. I apologise if you think I was being Personal. Regards Roxanne

My youngest son was a weekly boarder, went in Monday, came home Friday. He was adhd/autistic traits/dyslexic and the local authority couldnt handle him in any of their schools. The school he went to specialised in teaching kids like that and there was a wide spectrum - some families paying up to £15000 a year for their kids to be there. We just had to pay for uniform and all the extra tuition and holidays etc. (It was a bit cringey to park my 12 year old VW next to (literally) a Ferrari on parents day, but when you come down to it most people who had sent there kids there were in the same boat as us, no matter how much money they had. There was no way he could have gone to the local comprehensive (where my elder boy went, got 12 GCSEs, 3 A levels, went on to uni and got a first). IF there had been any way he could have gone to the local school we would have wanted that. BUT he would have been bullied and no doubt suspended or excluded. As it was, at the private school he learnt to play a piano and guitar, got awards for swimming (own pool there), went air ballooning (headmasters hobby), appeared in a film (producer was headmasters mate), target shooting (it teaches them control), tai chi (ditto), got his scuba diving award, Duke of Edinburgh award, skiing certificate, went abroad twice a year and though he didnt come out perfect he learnt how to handle himself, have confidence and to be at ease with people across all social levels (one kid was the son of a foreign prime minister and my son was offered holidays in that country - I didnt like the idea we were assured he would have a body guard at all times, so erm, politely turned it down). You cant generalise about boarding. In some cases it is the best thing you can give a child.

Why have children if you don't want them with you.

Wow, what a response! The reason I asked this question is because my next eldest sister went to boarding scholl for a couple of years and the difference between us is extreme. I won't go into it for her privacy but I often think has she turned out the way she is because of boarding school. Hmmmmm I wonder. Thanks for your input and opinions XXX

I was an army wife with 2 young children, the oldest one about to start school full time and a posting to Germany iminent. There really wasn't a school to send my daughter to so had a few choices to make. The choice I made was to stay behind with the children and hubby went ahead for 2 years. Rather than just see the children at holiday times only I chose to see my hubby at holiday times only. It was hard but we managed it. I couldn't and wouldn't have made any other choice really - it would have broke my heart to leave them behind. Sue xx

no way. its a cop out. if you have kids then you see them thru school - the homework, the experiences etc. if you're going to send kids to boarding school, why have them in the first place? angela

My first husband was sent away to Boarding School at the age of three....his father was a Diplomat in Egypt and the climate there was considered unsuitable for children (erm, what about Egyptian children, how did they survive, then?) By the age of 7, he was getting on planes on his own to visit his parents in the hols. He certainly had a downer on women, and on Boarding Schools too. My daughter's ex also went to Boarding School, his parents were in the Forces. His brother went too, he loved it and has made a great success of his life. Daughter's ex is emotionally frozen and spends every waking moment toadying to his mother. It works for some and it doesnt work for others - trouble is, you dont know till after! OC

Oh I do agree! I just think it was quite pertinent that when the high earning child almost electrocuted his pregnant mother by putting wires into the hood hairdryer she was sitting under the headmaster's response was 'well we've obviously got a bit of a wizard here, we'd better see how we can further Master .......efforts' Now if that were the state system, he would have been surrounded by social services et al, whipped into care for trying to 'kill off' his mother. All at the age of 7! Cherryxx

Phew! That's a relief! No, I don't mean you're rolling in it :o) Success is not just measured in bank notes. Helenxx

Yeah I know that bit, just if you think I'm rolling in it as I type - no chance! :-)

Oopps! Sorry Daniel :os I think you miss understood me. I meant you've succeeded from going to an ordinary school. That's all, I was just agreeing with you. Sorry if it came across wrong :o( Helenxx *crawling away to eat worms*

You believe wrong. Mum with 3 jobs, cleaning and dinner lady Dad a a basic nurse in a hospital, cleaning trollys and stuff. He works 12 hour days most. I've just been fortunate in having a skill which I have learnt to exploit. I dont believe for one second State or Private would have made the least bit of difference. It's down to my parents the way I am. (blame them ;-)

I agree with Daniel. I don't think state education rules out high paying jobs. A child that can succeed will succeed no matter what school they go to - our Daniel being a case in point I believe :o) Helenxxx Not that Daniel's a child as such :os lol!

Today's state system does farm out rich earners. Today, things are more equal, and rightly so. Money doesn't talk as loud as it used to.

Yeah well! I still know probably a hundred people, going back to the 1950's, who went to public school and none of them are damaged in any way. Guess it's a case of 'chacun a son gout'. Bit like religion and politics ain't it? Cherry, who despite the fact that she's now boracic lint is extremely puffed up 'cos her boy earns 140K, wouldn't have happened in the state system, the scholarship did that for him. Sending children to public school is all about sacrifice, not wiping them out of the way. I also think there are a few misconceptions here. I could visit my boys at any time but it was a bit infra dig to have your Mum turning up if it wasn't an exeat! Cherryxx

Cuckoo.....! Not me...Nuts but not cuckoo......!!

Because there was no school for 11-17 year olds where we were stationed in Germany whilst Father was in the forces me and my sister both went to boarding school in Germany. Glad to report that we enjoyed the experience , and neither me or my sis appear to be cuckoo's or any other type of weird person , and we never blamed our father for sending us there cos there was no choice . Oh yeah Danial my father was'nt rich either :-)))))))))))))))))

*cancels Hogwarts application*

No,I dont agree with it, I think they grow up completely CUCKOO!! Ive seen it with friends children,FRIGHTENING!!

I used to read Malory Towers books and wish I was at boarding school lol :-) I think it's more related to the child than the school but it's a personal choice. I knew someone who went to a public school which had boarding and really enjoyed it.