At what age? I asked around, and the answers couldn’t be more different.
Some people still cry decades later about being sent away at 5 or 6. Others begged their parents to let them go at 10 and loved every minute.
For rural families, it’s often not even a choice. No high school nearby means boarding school or nothing. They’re not trying to avoid parenting. They just want their kids to have opportunities.
The scars run deep for some. Bullying, cruel teachers, homesickness that never went away. But others thrived, made lifelong friends, gained confidence they wouldn’t have found at home.
What stood out was that siblings at the same school can have completely opposite experiences. One loves it, one hates it. Same family, same place, totally different outcomes.
Less than 1% of Australian students go to boarding school. Most families can’t afford it. And that raises uncomfortable questions about who gets opportunities and who doesn’t.
The right age? If there is one, it’s probably when both the child and parents are ready. But getting there is complicated.
I wrote about what these stories reveal about childhood, parenting, and what we owe our kids.
Read the full piece here.
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