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.

Is there anything in a tie?

An appointment somewhere on Savile Row? Hermes? Tweedy outfitter? Zara? Vintage shop? The one Grandpa wore for his first day at work? Which is least likely to have a 13 year old boy laughed out of his brand new house?

(Obviously I realise there are codes in ties for grown men - just not sure how that translates for boys ...)

My DS has one that belonged to his grand father, one from JL and a Saville Row one I found in a charity shop.
He personally avoids ones with dogs, horses, pigs, planes, cartoon figures etc on, you know the sort of thing, he also doesn't like stripes ones that look like either school tirs or the sort of Old Boy school tie type thing, just something patterned but discreet, he would also say silk ties just simple look better (they do, he's right). Having said this I don't think there's an treasure to wear any particular tie.

Gruach not as far as I am aware that would get them laughed at. Some might prefer a certain style once they have developed their tastes after starting in senior school but, as I said before, there is no rush to get a whole load of ties at once.

It is definitely worth looking in your local charity shops for ties. That's where DS's first 2 came from. They were only a few pounds each and one of them looked brand new!

2 silk ties for £40

www.ctshirts.co.uk/mens-ties?q=gbpdefault|||||||||||||||

what a monstrosity I'm so glad I don't have to wear a tie!

Mmm ... Not the best perhaps.

I love ties - even the garish and clashing. Child doesn't really care. I know what will happen anyway. I'll spend weeks in careful negotiation with my favourite shop, trying to get them to restock the one tie in the world he's ever expressed any interest in; they'll send the despatch email; he'll announce he's changed his mind; nowhere else will have anything suitable at three minutes to the first day of term. Something nylon will be grabbed furiously from the tie kiosk at the station ... I may suggest the grandparent option.

(I live in a city, there are a million options. But we like things hard-won.)

Or there's the Elmer the Elephant tie!

Or how about these?

Oh, I am so glad we don't have to find ties.
I am surprised that the schools don't have a uniform tie.

Still labelling here and so far have done school uniform, PE kit, some mufti but not all.
Still have bedding, rest of mufti, pyjamas and accessories to do.

Very organised I've got a few bits that need doing do you fancy doing mine?
I personally like no school tie/blazer/shirt/trousers allows boys to be individual.

Boarding mum newbie for september, any advice appreciated.

i've got the uniform ......

what are the best labels to use?

Where did you get your trunk from?

Good luck to everyone that is busy labelling. I often wonder how many labels I have sewed on over the years....I used Cash's name tapes smiles. One tip I found useful was with jumpers/ tracksuit tops etc I always labelled them twice. Once in the neck and then somewhere less obvious e.g. hem on inside of back, down sleeve. This was just in case someone took the obvious name tape out.
I was lucky as my two DCs were careful with their belongings and also knew that if they had lost something due to their negligence they would have to contribute to the replacement. That might sound a bit harsh but I think it is important that they take responsibility for their own things.

If by "trunk" you mean a large box to move clothes lap top shoes and belongings around in we don't have one.
I purchased the strongest lightest weight large most wheelie suitcase I could find it's worth spending money on a good. Many boarding houses are spread over loads of floors, most don't have lifts etc, you can't always guarantee to park out side they get dragged upstairs/across gravel/over grass so you need something that's very robust light and easy to move when stuffed with 1/2 a tonne of stuff. Trunks might look good and fit the image of a child at boarding school but are unwieldy and often take two to move them
I just went on line and bought those embroidered name tapes.

smiles ... are you certain that amongst all the school bumph there isn't a direction about which labels they require you to use?

(You'll probably find all the general advice you need on this thread - but you'll need to start at the beginning!)

Smiles
There is a huge amount of information in this thread.
Just re the labels though (because out of all this thread labels and tuck boxes come out head and shoulders most important things to worry about )
don't think of buying any until you know what they want. As HG has said upthread DS's school asks for woven ones. The other thing is what format they want the name in and any House letter / identifier etc. Also re bags , DS also had a small holdall type thing for coming home at leave out / exeat etc - Ie make sure they don't just have one huge bag / suitcase with them at school.

Darkling (waves) is right DS also has one of those hand luggage suitcase for 1/2 terms etc.

all good points i've lots of reading to do!

the trunk is to keep their personal bits in. DS is set on a metal looking one....

Tuck box then rather than trunk.

Ah, If you mean tuck box if you look upthread I posted a link and also another pp gave a link to where they bought theirs online.

Or Smiles - here you go
www.storagetrunks.co.uk/12055-alloybrtuck-storage-trunkbrwith-alloy-trim-p-241.html?osCsid=7fd009cd04a41b430e2a6008de725b71

(Spot parent taking any displacement activity opportunity so as not to think about results day next week )

What tog duvet do I get? Or do I break the school ruling and send two that press stud together to make one, as in the all season type?
I don't want her to be too hot or cold.

Coming to the end of labelling now, just a few more bits to do and bedding, which I haven't bought all yet.

DD is counting down the days now, 30. Wow, it's coming very quickly now.

Oh, just a thought for any of those starting weekly boarding.
I have told dd to have most things laundered at school so I'm not doing it during our time together.
If they are a bit fussy like my dd, she is bringing underwear home and I'll have the following weeks ready for her to take back, sort of on a rota basis.
She doesn't want her undies and white bras going in laundry for some reason.