Preparing Parents for Their Child's Boarding School Experience

May 20, 2011 - PRLog -- As a parent, saying goodbye to your child as they head off to boarding school can be painful. It’s never easy watching them journey off without you, even if you know it’s the best decision for them; but preparing yourself for your child’s boarding school experience will help you accept and enjoy the new change which will make both your life more comfortable in the end.

Tip #1: Trust Yourself. You have to be able to trust that you have made the right decision to send your child to a boarding school. If you are constantly second guessing yourself, then it will leave you stressed and may even make your child more hesitant.

Tip #2: Talk to Your Child. Communication is extremely important for both you and your child, especially if they have separation anxiety or get extremely homesick. Talking about what is going to happen, for how long and what to expect can help prepare you both for the boarding school experience. After all, it’s not just their lives that are changing, this will be a huge adjustment for you as well and talking about it will help.

Tip #3: Talk to Other Parents. Although there are tons of handbooks out there that attempt to prepare you for your child’s boarding school experience, nothing is more powerful than the thoughts and words from other parents that are dealing with the same thing. They, too, have millions of tricks, tips, words of wisdom, etc. that will put you at ease and leave you feeling more confident.

Tip #4: Ask questions. One of the main ways you can prepare yourself for your child’s boarding school experience is by asking your child, the school, other boarding school families and even yourself a number of questions. This not only helps make sure you are on the same page with your child and the institution, but it may better prepare you for unlikely situations that could arise or even everyday common occurrences of boarding school life.

Tip #5: Relax. Although it is our parental prerogatives to worry about our children, you can rest assure that your child will be in the best hands. Boarding schools know what they are doing, and they do it very well. All of the staff is trained specifically for the boarding school experience and your child will flourish with the opportunities presented to them. Remember, you are an integral part of the boarding school experience for your child as they will lean on you for support and guidance, so if you are stressed- they will be too.

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Baylor is a coeducational boarding school located in Chattanooga, TN. Baylor students can choose from college-level AP courses in 22 subjects, ranging from Studio Art to Environmental Science.