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!

"I agree...couldn't believe how that Mum almost pushed April away. Ok she was there to visit her own child, but she could at least have pretended. Cow."

I disagree. She's not a cow. She's a mum who loves her daughter and together with her husband they have trie to make the best decision for their daughter's education. SHe is acknowledging that baoring may not be the best for her.

I am an army wife and have two DD's aged five and three and know that the boarding school issue is out there waiting to be addressed, do we or don't we? What effect will moving schools every two years have??

It is never and easy desision to make, not for any of us.

madness!
what's the fucking point of all this misery?

now they are limiting contact to her mum

So they are forcing them to distance from each other.

Good god, ffs there is just no way I could do that to my child.

Sounds as if April's mother is crying on the phone to her daughter. That is absolutely awful and won't help poor April one little bit. Have to say I think she is incredibly selfish.

I meant join her kids, not the husband in Afghanistan...

Could they not get the kids into a nearer school? Why can't she live in Hampshire for six months? Or what sixtyfootdoll said.

It is a cult, I tell you - if you don't connect with your child anymore then they won't need you. Well, OF COURSE NOT!!!

I wonder if the mums are MNetters ?

does no-one homeschool either? also knew plenty of expat families who did that - mostly american though.

Good lord we so made the right decision - next time I'm having a hard day when DH is away I will rewatch this programme!

I hate the way the staff are talking!!! They are basically saying they don't want to deal with upset children so best have minimum contact so that it's easier for the school.

Ds has moved schools alot, it's far easier on them to move schools and have to make new friends then to leave their parents. friends come and go easily, when you change schools at 11 they all change, you loose contact when you go to Uni, friends move schools. Your parents are the most consistent things in your life, they are normally always there, it's not right that a child this young should be separated from them, it doesn't help them in any way.

The mums may well be MNetters.

do you think that hardnosed housemistress was a boarder by any chance??

I am not watching it but it's enough to read the reactions on this thread. Anyone who can say it's okay to send a child at 8 to boarding school is seriously lying to themselves.

i think the staff are probably right
it makes it harder for the child

It's absolutely shocking. Poor poor children

And limiting the contact.....horrid.

But the school will only be nearer for one posting and then they'll be off again. You can't keep moving school everytime dad gets posted the military won't support that otherwise they can just join mainstream schools like the rest of us!

"oh you learn to forget about your mum" wth??

the other 8yr old girls just saying they forget about their parents and then don't want to go home at the weekend.