Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Getting DS ready for boarding school, what did you do?

229 replies

smilesandsun · 07/08/2015 08:27

Hi,

I'm trying to prepare ds as best as possible for boarding school. Looking for any sweet ideas to make the transition less stressful.

I'm making a little photo book as a surprise. We're talking about it little and often in a very positive way (which it will be).

what else should I do?

OP posts:
goodasitgets · 26/08/2015 13:33

But sometimes it's better! I wish I HAD boarded
2 nurseries. 3 primary schools (actually 4 but I was only at one for 3 weeks), 3 secondary schools
I might have had family around but I was constantly moving schools, having to make new friends. Stability would have been boarding, probably from about 5

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:37

I'm getting a bit worried my fellow children at boarding school mums or CABSM for short (obviously not very worried because Im half way through mastering the art of repressing emotions like worry and anxiety because research has shown it's so good for you're health) that we are giving the wrong impression here. Perhaps we all need a copy of Repressing unwanted (or even wanted emotions) so that we can fulfill our stereotype.

goodasitgets · 26/08/2015 13:38

Should have added it affects exam results too. I moved in year 9 - this schools pupils had been doing German since year 7 and it was compulsory at GCSE. So I was walking in to this class having never done that language before and needing to get to GCSE level whilst being two years behind everyone else
I have been to private and state schools, private on a scholarship. Done a year of Latin and lacrosse then had to go in a state school and learn German and basketball!

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:39

Do you dry you DS 's hair? How dreadfully maternal of you. I only dry the dog after all he lives with me 52 weeks of the year.

IndridCold · 26/08/2015 13:39

Oh, I'm sure I can let you have a copy, it's just too good to keep to ourselves! It has excellent advice on how to remember your children's names during term time.

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:42

Is there a bit on recognising them? I always fall at that hurdle. I put DS 's name on a post it on the dash board so I don't forget. He has to go in the boot because the dog is on the front seat but I'm sure he understands.

DarklingJane · 26/08/2015 13:42

Goodas - well no-one could accuse you of not being well-rounded.

So, CABSM, DS has just gone out to lunch with a friend. Thinking about it , he hasn't really has he? a) he won't have any friends and b) this is a thinly disguised excuse to avoid me. He has probably gone to Harrod's toy department and is sobbing into a big furry polar bear as I type.

Ah , sod it.

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:42

Don't panic the dogs is wearing a seat belt.

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:44

Darkling mine cries over a bike I just couldn't by him a bike if I couldn't buy the dog one.

IndridCold · 26/08/2015 13:46

Of course Matrons aren't actually born you know, they breed them using a sort of cloning technique. It's a bit like the way they breed the orcs in the Lord of the Rings.

Getting DS ready for boarding school, what did you do?
Rafflesway · 26/08/2015 13:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:52

You have to clone them so get rid of any caring emotion.
And as for HM s well they really are a limited edition and are really tough to breed, one mum whispered to me last term that it takes 40 years to clone the right sort of HM and they're very expensive that's why they have to do the job for about 10 years obviously in that time they can inflict the maximum amount of misery. Some want to go on for 15 years but there's a danger that they might start caring about the children in their care.

SnakesRule · 26/08/2015 13:53

Oh no!!!! I just realized I should have sewn the dogs surname and a boarding number on the other side of DS's towels.....What if the matron dries the DS first???? The dog might get flees

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:53

Confess CABSM's who name changed and posted a pretend positive experience of boarding?

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:54

snake don't dry your child make the dog your priority.

happygardening · 26/08/2015 13:57

Off to the spa for some more beauty treatment. Bye xxxx

DarklingJane · 26/08/2015 14:05

Snakes - Towels? Towels? At DS's school they just stand in a freezing bathroom until they dry off.
A towel will make him stand out and he will be picked on. Put them all back in the airing cupboard.

SnakesRule · 26/08/2015 14:09

Aghrrrr Darkling .....It was on the list...Now thinking about it, they do have a puppy in the boarding house, the towels must have been for him....Off to order different name tags

NewLife4Me · 26/08/2015 14:11

I have just received an email inviting me and dh to log onto the forum of school parents.
This means I will have CABSM friends too, I'm not envious now HG Grin

IndridCold · 26/08/2015 14:13

You have to clone them so get rid of any caring emotion.
Precisely!

Of course CABSMs often give their children the same name as their dog anyway, as it saves them having to remember two different names (see How to be a Chap, chapter 8).

SnakesRule · 26/08/2015 14:18

What is CABSM - I can figure out BSM but CA?

IndridCold · 26/08/2015 14:18

Raffles it's nice to have proof that we're not making this all up. I heard Miranda Hart on Woman's Hour a couple of years ago, and Jane Garvie was so totally incredulous when MH said that she had loved boarding school, she had to ask her to repeat it.

IndridCold · 26/08/2015 14:19

Children At I assume

DarklingJane · 26/08/2015 14:31

I couldn't be bothered to read the book Indrid , so I just sewed a name tape into the back of DS's neck. He's asked me to take it out now that he is going to University and can pretend to be from a normal family , as he will only be away the same amount of time as everyone else.

That's a nice story Raffles, particularly as there is often much emphasis on how different the modern boarding experience is from years ago.

SnakesRule · 26/08/2015 14:44

Anyway.....what about Harry Potter? He did quite well in a boarding school apparently...not that I read the book.
I remember looking at schools for DD the year after Harry Potter's first book came out and few schools said that the number of applications for boarding places has trippled that year..... Blame JK for mass brainwashing...Children begging to go boarding, parents fall out of passionate love for their DC and sending him away....