| Boarding schools have been extensively debated - | | | | an analysis the child's needs and the |
| some consider them great boosters of a child's all | | | | circumstances of the family. Also, it is generally |
| round development, and some as instruments of | | | | advisable not to send a very young child to |
| neglect of children's emotional needs. | | | | boarding school. |
| Don't Make An Arbitrary Decision On This | | | | While there is 'no right age', the child should |
| Today, adult lives have become extremely hectic | | | | definitely be above 10 years of age - an age at |
| and the joint family concept has faded. This is the | | | | which most kids have attained sufficient maturity |
| age of dual-income nuclear families, and a child's | | | | to understand concepts like doing their own work, |
| life and development often takes place in such | | | | studying on their own - and, importantly - why |
| rather unsuitable circumstances. Many city children | | | | they are living separately. It is very important for |
| return to day care centres instead of their home | | | | them to understand this, and not to see their |
| after school, after a grueling commute to and | | | | time there as a form of punishment. Additionally, |
| from their schools. | | | | a child this old is normally not as emotionally |
| Often, this burden is further exacerbated by | | | | dependant on his/her parents as a younger child. |
| tuition classes, even though an inhuman | | | | Choosing A Boarding School For Your Child |
| homework load leaves them with little time and | | | | The choice of the residential school is very |
| energy for extra-curricular activities. The result is | | | | important. Parents should check the available |
| bored, stressed out children...and for a child to | | | | facilities, the quality of education and the level of |
| experience stress is simply unfair. | | | | interaction between the students and teachers. |
| Seen in such a light, the option of a boarding | | | | After all, teachers play a far more significant role |
| school has much to speak for it. After all, they | | | | in such schools than in conventional schools. It is |
| are not just about studies - they also give a child | | | | best to check on this with other parents who |
| time and exposure to a lot of other things like | | | | have children in the same school. |
| sports and art. Also, children in such schools are | | | | They also need to ascertain the proximity of the |
| more likely to have stronger bonds with their | | | | school to where they live - after all, they will have |
| friends, since they spend a lot of time together. | | | | to drop in to meet their child, and to take him or |
| When parents' jobs require them to relocate to | | | | her home on weekends or during vacations. It is |
| different places, boarding schools make good | | | | clear that parents must factor in their own |
| sense, too. They give their children a fixed set of | | | | commitment to stay in touch with their child while |
| teachers, friends and familiar surroundings. They | | | | deciding on a school. |
| also eliminate disruptions in their education - one | | | | Involving children in the decision-making process |
| of the banes of relocation. This helps a child feel | | | | can help them adjust to the new environment |
| more secure, and to experience a greater level of | | | | more easily. The whole situation calls for great |
| stability in terms of overall educational and social | | | | sensitivity from parents, since the child should in |
| environment. | | | | no way feel unwanted or abandoned. |
| Boarding schools are also a solution for those living | | | | Taking the child along to evaluate the school - and |
| in smaller towns and cities that do not have | | | | asking for honest feedback - helps the child feel |
| suitable schools. In such cases, they mean and | | | | loved, respected and cared for. Even after the |
| end to compromise in education standards - as | | | | decision is made, parents need to assure the child |
| well as lengthy commutes to far-away schools. | | | | that they are always there - and that he or she |
| Additionally, they help children from provincial | | | | can tell them anytime afterwards, without fear, if |
| areas adapt quickly to a larger social spectrum, | | | | the school is somehow unsuitable. |
| and to become more self-reliant and independent. | | | | Is Your Child Ready For A Boarding School? |
| The Flip Side Of Boarding Schools | | | | More importantly, parents must check the |
| Of course, there are drawbacks - not the least of | | | | emotional needs of their child. Kids who have a |
| them is homesickness. Moreover, children in | | | | poor academic record are generally looked down |
| residential schools have fewer day-to-day | | | | on by their peers in most schools - and in a |
| interactions with their family, and significantly less | | | | boarding school, they are essentially without |
| time to spend with their parents during their | | | | constant, parent-based moral support. This can |
| formative years. As a result, many parents who | | | | lead to inferiority complexes - and sometimes |
| placed their kids in boarding schools complain that | | | | rebellious behavior or other behavioral problems. |
| they could not contribute to their child's | | | | If there is pre-existing conflict in the family or the |
| development fully and effectively. | | | | parents are separated, the child needs an extra |
| The close interactions students have with each | | | | dose of parental love and support - not a |
| other in residential schools can also expose them | | | | boarding school, which would in all likelihood only |
| to the differences in their socio-economic | | | | aggravate the child's distress. Only a child in a |
| backgrounds, sometimes causing resentment and | | | | healthy state of mind should be sent to a |
| insecurity. There have been cases where such | | | | boarding school. |
| children react by falling in with destructive group. | | | | If firmly convinced that this is the right choice for |
| Also, children who do not get along well with their | | | | your child, visit a few and acquaint yourselves |
| friends or are affected by teachers who play | | | | more about boarding school life by checking out |
| favourites feel deprived of the love and affection | | | | the campus and talking to current students about |
| that they would normally receive as comfort in | | | | their experiences. You, like many other satisfied |
| such situations. | | | | parents and children, may just agree with others |
| Evidently, the decision of sending one's child to a | | | | who feel that boarding school is an education 'in |
| residential school should not be based on a 'good' | | | | and of itself. |
| or 'bad' conception of such schools, but rather on | | | | |