Choice if a school, to let your child decide?

[pasok1000]

We have to make a decision - to stay in his current day school (11- 18)or move to a different boarding ( for year 9)My son really wants boarding, he says he does not have many friends in his current school…

i feel i would like him to stay in a day school, but he is so keen on a a place at a boarding school

please shall i go with my gut ( to stay where he is) or listen to him?

I would try and listen really hard to the concerns driving their reasons for wanting what they want. And If they can’t be addressed with what I would like then I might look for a third option. I wouldn’t let them decide but I would want to ensure their concerns and worries are being dealt with. And if they are really unhappy where they are then maybe they do need to move somewhere else? Are there any other options that don’t involve boarding?

Most likely being bullied - ask him about it and tell him there is no shame in telling parents/etc re bullies and speaking to you is a sign of strength.

If he is being bullied, why and any other reasons he wants to move.

I was bullied because of the colour of my skin, I skipped school, took sick, and played truant - it was horrible - this was years ago things have improved for the better.

A child who describes themself as not having many friends at school sounds quite vulnerable to me. That would put me off sending them to boarding school as it would be much harder to support them if they had similar issues at boarding school.