BoardingPOV

Dad:
We had a melt-down yesterday.  Michelle is in her last couple of weeks before the start of boarding school – all of her middle school friends are already in school now, and Michelle has all of her summer reading done, so understandably, perhaps – she’s a little bored, and spending time chatting with her future [...]

Michelle:
Always thinking one step ahead, looking forward to what school is going to be like or to what they are expecting from me. A few days ago I received an email from one of my prefects. I’m on the second floor!
She explained to me about the dorm life and how all of the [...]

Parents:
Some new advice to boarding parents:  connect with other boarding families as early as you can…
Prior to our decision, we had a call out of the blue from a family in Chicago that had a son at the school my daughter was considering (pre-decision).  I said “out of the blue”, but it has become increasingly [...]

Michelle:
Usually it makes someone feel more comfortable going to a new place, when they already know someone, or have tips and advice from someone already there – which is what happened a few days ago.  I was able to eat lunch with a family whose daughter was already at my soon-to-be high school.
My [...]

Parents:
Imagine an endless parade of kids coming in and out of the house… YOUR house!  Well, Michelle is working on making the most of her last month at home.  Cousins, friends from middle school, and friends from middle school who the next day have a party at THEIR house.  So it’s this ebb and flow [...]

Michelle:
As the month comes to an end….ha, ha just kidding – the month of August just started as well as all my preparations for school. I’ve already started laying out all of my clothes. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t it a little early for that? Well, it is, but it’s so exciting – [...]

Parents:
O.K., it’s now August, so we’re all enjoying a respite before September.  We’re consciously tamping down thoughts of the fall in favor of the here and now.  Plenty of time for that sort of thinking later… O.K., O.K. I’m sliding again…
Upcoming start of school seems to occupy our thoughts a lot – info is coming [...]

Michelle: Middle school finished, and I thought finally that I was going to be able to relax a bit. You know, going to the pool, a trip to visit some of my Mom’s extended family in Hawaii, just hanging out with my friends. . . wrong!
My new boarding school had assigned some summer reading to [...]