Boarding School....why?

[nailit]

Have just finished reading this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stiff-Upper-Lip-Secrets-Schooling/dp/1474600549
Its only confirmed what Ive always thought...that the 'upper class' system knocks out any and all basic human emotions from their own offspring in the name of class and breeding.
But that aside, why would anyone bother to have children and then proceed to pack them off to first 'prep' school and then boarding school?
Why have children and then cart them off to be 'educated' and boarded elsewhere for months at a time (and from a very young age)
The best part of being a father (from my own perspective) is been there for my child and watching him develop...warts an all.
NOT packing him off and seeing what happens....
Something wrong in my book in having kids and then shipping them out for someone else to look after 24/7 for several months of the year.

[ummmm]

If the parents were educated in the same manner then they probably don't see anything wrong with it.

[bhg481]

I absolutely agree naitit. I think it explains why so many MPs have no concept of real life.

[New Judge]

"But that aside, why would anyone bother to have children and then proceed to pack them off to first 'prep' school and then boarding school?"

Well many are near enough doing that now. They pack them off to school for their breakfast an they return after they have participated in various "after school clubs". The schools might just as well put a few beds down in the gym, give them a cup of cocoa before lights out and start the process off the next morning.

[nailit]

//If the parents were educated in the same manner then they probably don't see anything wrong with it. //
ummm, theres quiet an interesting chapter in the book about that very thing.

bhg, Ive long thought the same thing.

NJ, hard to disagree there.

[ummmm]

Because they 'have' to go out to work.

[ummmm]

And NJ - didn't you never play out as a kid?

[nailit]

//Because they 'have' to go out to work//
ummmm, I would find it hard to accept that YOU wouldn't want to see ur kids for 6 months at a time because you had to go to work.

[nailit]

Think I might have misinterpreted ummms reply...

[ummmm]

I was answering NJ and him talking about after school clubs.

When I was young we played in the street with all the other kids so hardly seen our parents except for dinner. Nowadays kids can't play in the street, far too much traffic, so they go to after school clubs.

[bookbinder]

https://www.noodle.com/questions/qu4db91/why-do-parents-send-their-kids-to-boarding-schools

[nailit]

From ur link bookbinder
//but it is their kids who choose to go to boarding school//
Probably imagine its like Hogwarts...

[ladybirder]

I don't think mine knew what else to do with me.

[sherrardk]

Himself was a forces brat so he went to boarding school (but not his sisters). A fair few kids from our local primary board when they get to secondary age (but the army pays for all/most of it).

[nailit]

I just don't get the idea of having kids and then packing them of for someone else to look after for months at a time. No bed time stories, cuddles (yes im a man but I cherish those moments), no talking about this and that at the end of the day.
Something a bit psychotic about sourcing ur kids out to strangers with no feelings of loss or regret.

[Tilly2]

I imagine that there is a sense of loss and regret for some of those parents.

[nailit]

//I imagine that there is a sense of loss and regret for some of those parents//
Doubt it Tills (after reading this book) but if there was then shame on them for putting their kids through the same humiliation and hurt that they themselves went though..

[Mamyalynne]

I should imagine there are as may reasons to send your children to boarding school as there are not to - to bring in words like psychotic is a bit over egging it.

You can't know all the families and how things turned out.

I've known very well balanced and loving people who attended such schools, in fact at times during my childhood I think I'd have benefited from it too.

[Sqad]

"We p[played in the streets"

"The best part of being a father (from my own perspective) is been there for my child and watching him develop...warts an all."

That's fine if you think that it is the bottom line in child development, but not all parents would agree.

I assume Nailit that you are talking about Public School education at the age of 13+?....Well.firstly the kids have to be academically bright as there is an entrance examination and secondly one has to have a spare £35,000 net available annually. If you have n't got that then you are not in the equation, but if you have, then you have to decide if it is worth it. If you want your son/daughter to be a barrister, entrenchment, surgeon , or successful in business, then a Public School education will not guarantee that, but will give a much better chance than State education.
Do you want that for your kids? if not save yourself £35,000.
Public Schools give a broad education, learn to become independent and live with other people. it also demands discipline and toeing the line.
If you don't want that for your kids.........fine.
However, other parents do and it may well be worth the fees......remember that many families make sacrifices to ensure a good education for their children........BUT..no guarantees.

Eton and Harrow, perhaps not, but equally good are the "lesser"public schools...Oundle, Uppingham, St Pauls, Downside, Sedbergh..........and so on.

Again...no guarantees but if one can afford it.....a great start in life for the majority of pupils of the Public School System.

[Rockrose]

Just because you go to boarding school doesn’t mean you don’t see your parents for 6 months at a time, that’s a view of someone with very little knowledge of the situation.

[jno]

maybe it actually is like Hogwarts, minus the satanic bits.

Children have to leave home some time. Usually it's to go to uni, but there's no reason why it couldn't be younger.