Are you getting ready to send your child to boarding school?
When it comes to educating kids, all schools are valid. Different school styles may work better for different children. Some thrive in public schools, some love charter schools, and others require the intensity and focus of boarding schools.
If you can afford the boarding school cost, you’ve probably been considering sending your child there. But how can you prepare them for such a large venture?
We have a few tips to help. Keep reading to learn all about appropriate boarding school preparation.
Help Your Child Make Friends
One of the hardest things for a child to adjust to when they’re going somewhere new is the lack of familiar faces. If your child has been in standard school or daycare, they’re going to be leaving behind all of their friends, not to mention their family members.
Before school starts, try to help your child make friends with people who will be at the school.
If the school is within a few hours of you, this is easy. Find groups of parents on sites like Facebook to arrange playdates with children who will be attending.
If the school is far away, see if there are any options for group chats online. Even video chatting with other students will help make your child feel more comfortable, and they may even get excited about meeting them “in real life.”
Acclimate Your Child to The School (If Possible)
This is tricky depending on where your child’s new school is.
If you’re sending kids to boarding school nearby, it’s a good idea to take them to any pre-schoolyear events like meet-and-greets, mixers, and even sleepover nights.
If this isn’t an option (for example, if your child is attending an international boarding school), ask about virtual tours and potential online meetings with teachers.
You want your child to feel as comfortable as possible when they get to their new home.
Provide Communication Methods
Your child may feel anxious when they’re in a new place, no matter how independent they seem. Make sure that they have easy methods of communication so they can contact you and their friends.
Set up an account on an online video chat platform. These are great for long-distance chats. Platforms like Discord also offer voice chats and an easy-to-use text chat to talk to their friends whenever they feel the need.
When your child knows that communication is easy and accessible, they’ll feel more comfortable when it’s time to venture off to boarding school.
Educating Kids at Boarding School: Is Your Child Ready?
Boarding schools are wonderful for educating kids, but remember that children aren’t always prepared for living far away from their parents. A child in distress will have a harder time focusing on schoolwork, so you must make sure they’re ready.
Start talking to your child about boarding school as soon as possible.
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