Will you consider to let your children go to boarding school before university?
By youless
@youless (112590)
Guangzhou, China
December 3, 2015 9:12am CST
Here sometimes parents like to let their children go to boarding school. Usually these school are good. The children can stay there from Mondy to Friday. The parents will have less troubles, as they know their children are in the school to study only.
But I am not willing to let my child to go to boarding school. I think the relationship between parents and children is very important. Namely we shall spend more time to build and keep it. We can have time only at night. If I can see my child in weekends, that's not enough. I feel very irresponsible to give my child to school and I am away from his life.
5 people like this
7 responses
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
4 Dec 15
I am not sure if I went to boarding school, but I did stay in the school hostel throughout my high school years. It's not compulsory to stay in the hostel, but some students can choose to stay there especially when the family is staying far away from school.
I personally enjoyed staying in the hostel, and I chose to stay there. My parents did encourage that, they didn't mean to have to take care of us less, but to let us learn to be more independent in the hostel. I enjoyed staying in the hostel, as there were more friends and activities. I do have good relationship with my parents.
The above was my own experience, but I don't think I will let my children stay in the hostel during their high school years, unless they request for it. As you said, I think bonding is very important too, even in their teenage years. Though I do not think my parents were irresponsible for allowing me to stay in hostel, I think they did not really think or concern about bonding as much as we do. 
2 people like this
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
4 Dec 15
@youless If it's kindergarten or primary school, then I think it's really too young. As I am homeschooling my children, there are many people doubt whether I can do so. Many parents think children will always listen to teachers, but not mothers, so it's not possible to teach the children ourselves. It's better to send them to school and let others teach them.
I always think parents are children's first teachers, we should be responsible in teaching them, not only depend on the teachers to teach them. I agree that if the children don't listen to us, it's really our responsibility.
1 person likes this
@youless (112590)
• Guangzhou, China
4 Dec 15
I think it is OK for children to live in the hostels when it is time to go to univerisity. It is their indepentent time. There is a woman who lives in our building. Her son is just older than mine three months old. She sent him to the kindergarten and let him stay there from Monday to Friday. He could go home in weekends. Now it is the primary school and she let her son lived with the teacher. I really can't understand it. We ever met in the lift and we talked for a while. Her son didn't wan to listen to her. She felt relaxed to send him to the teacher as he would watch TV until midnight if he stayed at home. I think this is her fault. Her son just can't have enough care since little.
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
4 Dec 15
When I was a child I dreamed of attending a boarding school. I was the youngest of 4 children and by the age of 12 I was the only one left at home. Being an only child was miserable for me and I imagined that living in a dorm with lots of other girls would be dreamy.
I now have a child, who is an only child and I think often about the ways I was unhappy being an only child. I would never want to send my child to a boarding school. I believe having parents around while you are figuring out life is very important. I want to be around to help my child celebrate success, learn from mistakes and feel loved and support through every single day. I will steal a phrase that I once heard Dr. Phil say... I want to be my child's 'soft place to land' at the end of everyday!
2 people like this
@youless (112590)
• Guangzhou, China
4 Dec 15
I totally agree with you. My parents sent me to the kindergarten and I lived there all the time except for Saturday and Sunday. When my parents sent me there, I cried at night in my bed because I felt alone there. I understand it so I will not let my child to experience the same.
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
4 Dec 15
Wow, kindergarten seems a very young age to send a child to boarding school. Obviously you survived, but I bet it was hard.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
5 Dec 15
I think that depends on your child.
If he is independent, and likes to experience living without the comfort of home, boarding school is a good idea.
He probably wants to have a feel of studying overseas without parents around.
Boarding school will help him have such experience to a certain extent.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
4 Dec 15
I only think that boarding school is for rich kids that parents are never home. They ship them off to these places to get rid of them. I basically don't see any other person going there but I could be wrong. I never wanted my child to go to a place like this and personally I don't see why other parents would consider this as an option.
1 person likes this
@youless (112590)
• Guangzhou, China
4 Dec 15
If rich kids could go to the boarding school, I would be sorry for them because I don't think living there all the time is a pleasant thing. They hardly see their parents. I think they must feel alone sometimes and may even doubt whether their parents really love them.
1 person likes this
@birjudanak (14320)
• India
4 Dec 15
we cant send them and those send whose children are not in control them and do only bad things so they send there for some discipline ,but in it you lost your trust from children and they are not understand relationship and what is attachment.
1 person likes this
@birjudanak (14320)
• India
4 Dec 15
@youless yes because I have cousin whobnot study, always out from home, not hear of parents so they put but later he come he same and not change, finally they sent them US and then now he settle well. And also mature man of his family.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47336)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
3 Dec 15
Honestly, I'm not sure I would be so willing to do it either. My sister did go to one for a year or two, at the end of high school, and seemed to have enjoyed it, which is fine. But I think I'd have a hard time with it. I'd really miss my kids. I'd worry about my kids.
1 person likes this
