I went to boarding school when I was 7, ama

[Puffykins]

In response to the many threads I have seen that seem to presume that anyone who went to boarding school so young would be psychologically damaged - I'm not (I don't think!), and have a good relationship with my parents, my husband, a successful career etc. And, although I missed my parents, I also loved school.

Well, you are a great advert for it @Puffykins

Sensible, interesting replies. Thanks for this.

Thank you @Thepleasureofyourcompany - and @AmIbeingTreasonable my father worked in a job which entailed regular overseas postings - we moved every year/ two years. Boarding school allowance for children was part of the package.

I note a boarding school ‘type’ of woman, steely, no nonsense, practical, pragmatic, loyal to small group of trusted friends, think Camilla PB. The Unsinkable Molly Brown type…

Flipside rude, abrupt & abrasive, esp to the lilly-livered & weak charactered. Unsympathetic. Reason (?) Boarding school regime. There’s a reason they do well in prison, gen the men. Any truth in this stereotype? Roughing you up so you could deal with Empire challenges in ye olde olden days. Any grain of truth in the stereotypes

Ummm no not really @Peverellshire all sorts of people come out of boarding school in the same way as all sorts go in.

The women I’ve encountered were from the ‘top’ public schools if that makes any odds. Figures though, people vary, of course.

I guess it can/does breed independence, positivity, practicality? Thanks. Some def have a Teflon confidence?

Well unless you’re asking each and every person you meet presumably you only “see” the performance “top public school girls”

It’s a bit of a theme I’ve found (reason for it, not isolated) & it’s not a dig or criticism. There’s an admirable absolute confidence, reliability & resilience.

Private school gen makes for confidence but boarding means added independence.

I don’t know what “gen” means in this context, is it like “experience”? I’ll just reiterate that you obviously are more aware of Uber confident independent ex boarders because they are out there and visible. It absolutely isn’t my experience that all boarders or public school day girls/boys for that matter are.

Gen, meaning generally. Yes, that makes sense & good to have your perspective. Thanks.

I couldn't do it. It's totally selfish to have kids if you have a job that means you can't actually raise them in my opinion. Your mum could have stayed home with you and your father could have travelled and come 'home' when he could. It always seems to me like a mother choosing her husband over her children when they get dumped in a boarding school whilst a woman follows a man about.

Your own situation sounds different in that you appear to have sent your daughter for different reasons.