Thread For Boarders

[morethanpotatoprints]

Just thought I'd start a support thread for those either starting this september or established boarders happy to help those with many queries.

There are quite often individual threads for particular schools but it doesn't necessarily say whether boarding, day, private or state in the title. So I thought this would be a good way of getting us all together and also for those people from overseas looking for particular types of schools.

My dd is starting in sept and will weekly board, atm I am gathering uniform and other essential items and will begin the labelling process soon.
I do quite like this as sad as it seems, I find hand sewing very therapeutic and relaxing for some reason.

Wasn't there someone on this thread, or similar, who had 10 children?

I thought there was Ingrid, it was a few pages back now.

Sorry, Indrid not Ingrid

Yes, it was Lookout I believe.

I thought I hadn't imagined it, but flicked back a couple of pages and couldn't find them.

Anyone who can organise the sport/music/extra-curriculum activities for 10 children has my utmost respect and makes me feel totally exhausted.

Another daft one [sorry]

All the schools claim to monitor for eating disorders (especially girls) - how true is it? Have any of you had experience of it, positive or negative.

And what about eating problems (not quite a disorder) such as unhealthy consumption of fatty foods etc.
I thinking of instances where someone's DC is gorging themselves silly on chips & puddings while avoiding vegetables and fruits. I would imagine if they eat within their houses, it would be picked up relatively quickly, but probably missed if the entire year group or school feeds in a large canteen.

Not a stupid question and one I forgot to answer, so watching with interest.

ask, not answer
If I knew I wouldn't need to watch for answers.
I'm blaming the heat

I'm sad to admit it, but the above example is something I can imagine DS doing if left to his own devices

My dd isn't scared of a few chocolate bars and sweets.
She does eat healthy meals though and loves all fruit and veg, even sprouts.
I am trying to get through to her in a very sneaky way and as she has just started getting spots..... you can surmise the rest

Not a daft question at all.

According to my son, at his school (King's Canterbury) they do check whether the girls turn up for meals- this being the one thing that the boys can be relied upon to do without prodding; but some of the girls don't eat much when they are there. I think that eating disorders can be difficult to spot but housemasters/mistresses are pretty engaged and I suspect they would notice if something were seriously wrong. Everyone is weighed and measured at the beginning of the school year.

As far as eating healthily is concerned, the food offered by the school at meals seems pretty good, varied, healthy, plentiful etc; but nobody is going to stand over them and make sure that they eat their vegetables. They also all (boys anyway) top up with huge quantities of white sliced, available in the houses and terrible crap which they buy and microwave- not sure why I bothered with all those years of carefully selected organic carrots etc. There is also fruit, milk and fruit juice available. He doesn't yet seem to have contracted scurvy and he's certainly not fat.

At Prep school (all boys) the food was pretty dreadful but they did monitor what the boys were putting on their plates and there was no tuck allowed.

Yes indeed - Prep is ferocious. Staff stalk the canteen line and send back anyone who hasn't taken a sensible helping of vegetables or whatever. And someone else makes sure they eat a good proportion of what's on their plates.

I gather that by the end of yr 8 they're longing for the greater food freedom of senior school.

Agree with comments on food at prep school. Mine were definitely checked. My DD went to an all girls boarding school and apart from House parents being aware, the girls also looked out for each other. Concerns were reported to the House staff.

Eating disorders in girls is quite rife, and staff are always on the look out. A good school will register the kids at meals - doesn't always happen especially if there are a large number of day pupils only eating at lunchtime. If it's noticed then nurses re weigh entire year groups to check weight loss. Girls do look out for each other and staff are informed of strange eating habits. Unfortunately not all kids like the school meals - they are quite strange for those used to Chinese and Russian food for example.

Going one step further about eating disorders (and obviously this is not specific to boarding schools) the behaviour does seem to spread amongst a group of friends even if most in that group would not otherwise have a strong tendency to develop it. Ditto for self-harming. It tends to be the other DCs at the school who know which friendship groups are prone before the adults. School staff may be good at picking eating disorders up but then IME if the DC is still well enough to stay at school a school will ask parents to take over supervision for mealtimes.

Dancingqueen you are quite right although I can't imagine that parents would want to leave their DCs in school for the scenario you describe which requires intense medical supervision and in some cases inpatient care.
There are however cases, particularly when a girl imitates eating disorder behaviour, which need close supervision despite only minor weight loss to prevent further development. Although the school could help with the closer supervision IME they will usually request the parents to take over mealtimes once that sort of behaviour has been flagged. An overseas parent needs to realise that.

Today is a big day for many of us with DC's at boarding school. Yesterday I was getting really excited, this morning I've been counting down the hours, he's not home yet but shouldn't be long now and I'm listening for the sound of the front door, one dog has been over to the door four times; every time he hears a noise.
To all DC's in boarding school and all parents with DC's in boarding schools enjoy you're long holiday I every one gets plenty of rest God knows our children need it and let's hope the weather continues to stay warmish.

Darkling don't cry too much.

Mine came home last Friday! It's lovely, and I have almost worked my way through all the washing that came back with him...

Indrid to my surprise DS came home with all his uniform, bedding and sports kit washed and ironed except for the clothes he was wearing and the stuff he'd had on his bed that morning. And all the stuff he brought home was actally his... Still managed to leave behind a tie and a pair of trainers but you can't win 'em all.

MMmmm. Just realised that I have washed five school shirts belonging to another boy (with whom he doesn't even share a room). Lovely to have him home.

Ours came home on Sunday...We watched her on live broadcast on speech day. The next day she was already in HK...

Washing all done now, but I have just asked DS 'Do you want breakfast before you have lunch?' .

Hardly any washing needed but very little unpacking either. Since I leave most of that to him it is not going to be high on his list of what he wants to do in his first few days
Once again it is wonderful for us to be all together and be reminded that much as he loves being at home and on holiday, he has got so much out of another year at his boarding school. I suppose university will be a continuum of this rather than an abrupt change for us. Lots of concentrated time living their lives to the full interspersed with savouring time together as a family.

My DS will be boarding for first time in September. It's all very new to us, We have a full bursary and it will be life changing for us. I should think we will be different from most the family's. It's a lovely school I just hope we don't stand out too much. Great thread! I'm reading everything with interest :)