Wednesday night, sending your child, aged 8 to boarding school, do tell me about it as i won't be able to watch!!!

[piratecat]

I couldn't even watch the trailer for it without wanting to weep!

So sad and difficult to watch, those poor little girls

I might send ds when he is 11 if he wants to go - it will be his choice entirely (assuming I can afford it ). I don't think an 8 year old is capable of making that decision at all. I'm not sure how you cope with what effectively is a rejection from your family, ie 'we are too busy to look after you every day so we're sending you to boarding school'. Obviously they don't say that but that is what they mean.

I went to boarding school at 12. I think I try to block out the experience. Watching this programme brings it all back and I feel quite for my 12 year old self. I kept it all locked inside at school, as a survival mechanism. I will NEVER send my dc's, they need their family not a load of psedo parents.

I know she was excluding April who was trying to hug her back etc

And April's mum saying all the wrong things- I know she doesn't want April to feel sad but flippin heck the wee girl is devastated.

The brother and mates run around the boarding school pretending to be terrorists

Alex looks like he's well on the way to becoming his dad.

But then again, I probably wouldn't want to come home and spend time with people who packed me off at that age, either.

poshtottie there are day schools and boarding schools. Some boarding schools take day pupils.

how does the mum feel about april's brother preferring to spend w/e's at school?? reap what you sow really...

QUick, break them out!

They don't have to board, alot of private schools are open from 8am until 6 pm, there's flexi boarding so they can go home at the weekends and a night during the week, they don't even have to board at all in a boarding school.

Really don't think it helps with the mum crying. Poor poor child.

the private school near here gives a 40% discount for forces families - not sure if thats standard though.

wail

mamasmissionimpossible looks like we're in the same boat. I want to turn it off but can't now. I remember not being able to talk to my parents for the first 2 weeks I was there. The thought of that now, both for my 12 year old self, and me now as a mum, hurts so much I can't bear it.

Maybe there are more day pupils these days then.

too young
11 or 12 soo different

Poor Henry.. little boy doesn't know what's coming.

How on earth can you contemplate sending one child as a boarder and another as a day boy at the same school???

agree books

poshtottie - lots and lots of private schools are not boarding. I think there are more day schools than boarding schools TBH. And some boarding schools take day to fexible boarders too. Day private schools are pretty much the same as normal state schools re hours, etc.

Ds has gone to grannies for the night and I'm lost.

herbietea, yes they are