Is It Possible for Children to Thrive in Boarding School?
For some parents the idea of boarding school is too much to handle, especially when they think about whether their child will dislike them for “sending them away”. When in reality, boarding school could be one of the best experiences for your children. There are plenty of kids that prefer to be sent to boarding school because it allows them to experience their true self and to finally understand and establish self-identity.
With that being said, it doesn’t make it any easier to send your children away to school. Before you make the decision, it’s important to consider whether children really thrive in boarding school and if yours would experience just as many benefits.
1. Surrounding Themselves with Like-Minded Peers
There’s nothing more frustrating than going through stages in life only to be surrounded by adults that always seem to say, “It gets better when you’re older.” Boarding school gives children the ability to work and live alongside children that are going through the same things as they are, which gives them an ideal level of affirmation.
Instead of relying on friends that they only see on the weekends, they’ll be living and going to class with people who are dealing with the same changes in life and struggles. They’ll have a clear understanding that they’re not the only ones going through a turbulent time in their life and may even reach out to peers to help guide them through rough patches.
2. Enhancing Social Capabilities
Much like your children will receive positive affirmation while dealing with age-related struggles, boarding school also gives them the ability to master their social capabilities. Imagine, they’re in a school on their own with seemingly no friends; they’re going to be motivated to meet new people. It’s true when they say that at boarding school, people meet friends that they keep throughout their lifetime and this is no different for your children.
From starting out friendships at study groups or hanging out with each other during break periods and lunch, your children will start to attach themselves to other people in their classes. Considering they won’t have their parents around all of the time to force them into play dates, children will finally have the ability to choose social circles that they think are best for them. Helping to create some of the strongest bonds they may ever experience in their lifetime.
3. Top-of-the-Line Facilities and Activities
Sure, public schools and even private schools offer great opportunities in terms of extra curricular activities and sports, but the activities offered by boarding schools are certainly unmatched. It’s important to remember that each parent is responsible for their child’s tuition and in such; boarding schools aren’t strapped down to government-delegated budgets.
This means your children will have access to state of the art facilities such as swimming pools, soccer fields, lacrosse fields, and more. Essentially any type of sport or activity they could dream of is right at their fingertips. It’s also important to remember that some of the world’s most prestigious coaches and teachers are employed by boarding schools, giving your children the ability to excel at activities they’re best at and potentially make a career out of them.
4. Acquiring a Top Tier Education
Along with the phenomenal extra curricular activities your children will have access to, their education will be far above industry standard as well. You might have heard that students who attended boarding school are some of the most affluent and successful people in the world, and that is for good reason.
Not only are the standards higher for children in boarding schools, but they are taught an assortment of subjects that aren’t focused on in public schools. For example, children may have the ability to learn several different languages aside from Spanish, German, Italian, and French.
Boarding schools also open a variety of doors in terms of upper education, as these students are seen as elite students. Many parents have realized that after attending boarding school, their children have access to prestigious colleges and universities around the country. As well as acceptance into fraternities and sororities that can be added to their professional resumes.
5. Earning Worldwide Knowledge
Above all else, when you make the decision to send your children to boarding school they’re going to gain worldwide experiences that they wouldn’t earn elsewhere. Even when looking at the peers in their classes, they will be learning alongside children from all over the world. They’ll also be able to make connections with some of the most influential families across the globe. This is particularly true if you send your children to a boarding school in another country.
It will give them invaluable insight into how the world works, how to travel once they are old enough, and give them opportunities to see sights that most people would only dream of. With field trips to some of the most illustrious locations, boarding school simply offers more worldwide opportunities to diversify your child’s knowledge.
The Overall Benefits of Choosing a Boarding School for Your Children
No matter how you look at it, boarding school is much more than a haven for the wealthy. It is even much more than an expensive education. It is a distinguished and sophisticated educational opportunity that everyone’s child would be able to benefit from. Even though it may be easy to get caught up in the idea of your children attending school alongside some of the world’s most privileged children it is important to remember their education is of the utmost importance.
With the ability to be taught by industry leading professionals in their specific field, access to phenomenal extra curricular activities, and the ability to see the world at such a young age, boarding school builds more than young minds. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure your children get the most out of their life and if it means they have the opportunity to develop themselves at a boarding school, that would be the best option for your family.