Are boarding schools a cop out for direct parenting?

One hears the almost universal statement that the children are the dearest possession of the parents, yet some, garage them into boarding schools away from their family environment whilst being fed and watered by strangers.





Why have a family pet if it's to be placed into a ';quarantine'; environment not to be enjoyed on a continious and daily basis?





The absence of the close family interaction must create a detatched persona that lurks throughout ones life.Are boarding schools a cop out for direct parenting?
I agree I don't want a stanger taking care of my kids 24/7 for days and months at a time with out seeing them. I think they should be at home with their parents who are going to love them and take care of them like they should be.Are boarding schools a cop out for direct parenting?
I had a friend who was in a boarding school from the age of 14 on. She won't admit that she has issues from it but I can tell by some of the things she says. And I don't understand why a parent would send their kids away at all. I had kids because I wanted them, I want them at the age of 14 just as much as I wanted them at the age of 2. Are these parents just tired of being parents? It makes no sense to me.
who knows why people have kids just to give them away- they are selfish and lazy- my son is almsot 11 mo. old and i have never been morme than 4-5 hours away from him, i work so i have to be a little
For me I'd never want to go to boarding school but my son loves the idea and cant wait till he is old enough. He wants to go for high school.
Different people have different opinions. I was in boarding school for 5 years and loved it and so has the rest of my siblings, Parents are NOT trying to get rid of there children in anyway. Boarding school is a great experience in life that not many can experience because of the amount of money that goes towards boarding school. I want to send my children to boarding school when they get a bit older.
My daughter WANTS to go to boarding school in high school. Right now we are homeschooling our kids.





If, when she gets to highschool age, she still wants to go to a boarding school, we will consider it. I'd never send my kids when they are younger or if they didn't want to go. She came up with this idea on her own and who knows if in 4 years she'll still want to.
I've wondered about that. It does seem to me that boarding school would not be healthy for a child nor would it encourage close relationships within the family. That's not to say I haven't had the occasional pleasant daydream concerning my teenage son and military school!








But on the other hand, countries other than the US, use boarding schools quite often. Maybe it is a US cultural hangup and our kids would do fine. Or maybe US culture is different enough from European that it would completely backfire.
I also agree parents should raise their children why have them if they dont want to spend the time to raise them just think of all the treasured moments missed of their children and all the memories lost I have three children that my husband and I both raised and alot of memories that I will ALWAYS treasure!
Boarding schools and multiple live-in nannies are rich people's way of raising children.





There's also a rich people's disease called ';exhaustion'; and sometimes they get hospitalized with this affliction. Working class families have to work to pay bills so if they're exhausted then they just keep working. They just learn to live with feeling exhausted.
I've also wondered why people would ship their children off to boarding schools. In some societies, it seems to be normal. English princes William and Harry were sent to boarding schools against Diana's wishes. I just don't understand that. What's the point of having children if you aren't going to raise them yourself?
I LOVED boarding school!!!





I don't really understand boarding school for children (pre-adolecence) unless there is some type of family situation that requires it. However, while it probably isn't a universal cure-all I think boarding school for adolecents can be very beneficial.





When children become teens they want to stretch their wings. They are almost raised at that point in time, and even parents who raise their teens at home have to find a delicate balance between control and independence. Boarding school is a time tested tradition that allows teens to discover who they are with peers their own age without mom and dad constantly looking over their shoulder. Boarding school can often provide a child more independence and responsibility than living at home while still giving them a safe environment. Plus, many boarding schools are academically excellent and have traditions that can help create anchors for a teens journey into life.





I personally went to a very unique and relatively young boarding school that was designed for academically accelerated students. After being the oldest child my whole life and living in a small town, boarding school was a release. I was finally around friends who I connected with on a deeper level, and I was freed from the responsibilities of having younger children constantly watching my every move. On the whole, however, it made me a more devoted sister as an adult.





I'm sure boarding school is not for everyone, and isn't right in every situation - but please don't knock it in general. It can be a valid and acceptable parenting decision. Just because you decide to let your child stretch his/her wings doesn't mean you don't love them and don't care about them. It just means you realize he/she is growing up. In this age of telephones and e-mail it's not like you are cutting ties with your child - you're just choosing a different family dynamic. If your child is ready for the step, it can be just the thing to transition him/her from life at home to life in the world and shouldn't be considered neglectful or abusive.