Boarding school vs Day school - Which one is better?

Introduction:

Send your child to boarding school and the society immediately judges you for being parents who are too busy to give ample time to their children. Despite the fallacies surrounding boarding schools that they are for troubled children or for those nerds who know nothing other than studies, there are parents who look at the brighter side of boarding schools and the better development it offers to their children.

The educational standard at boarding schools are quite high and it also helps children develop social values which are of real importance in life. High school teenagers in boarding schools are far more disciplined and do not throw tantrums like most children of their age do.

Along with the advantages, there definitely are some disadvantages that surround leaving your child at a boarding school. Both the child and the parent will have apprehensions and anxiety before making a decision to enroll in boarding school but thinking from the point of view of your child’s better future can help you decide.

Yes:

All under one roof : Children get all the facilities under one roof, be it library and laboratory for their studies or music and sports for extracurricular activities. They have the guidance of teachers all through the day which makes learning easier for them. They can look for teacher’s help at any time of the day when they are confused or finding any kind of difficulty.

Real activities : Children get less screen time which means they are made to involve themselves more in real activities like pursuing their talent of arts or music or dance. Children who have been to barding to schools are found to be extremely good at one or more extracurricular activity. Less technology effects also means that they are kept aloof of the bad effects of spending too much time on internet video games and other such stuff which is mostly impossible if the child stays at home through the evening.

Social skills : Most boarding schools also look after the social skills development of children. They are taught better etiquettes of high living which makes their manners impeccable. They are more responsible for their stuff and know how to keep their things organized, starting from clothes to books and toys. They are more likely to be disciplined and obedient compared to day school children.

Stronger friendship : The friend circle at boarding schools will be usually safer and better since all of them would hail from good family backgrounds. Spending all the time in the company of friends right form waking up to dining makes the friendship stronger and are more likely to last for a lifetime. They know you inside out and have been with you through the nostalgic hours. Closer friends who know and understand you all too well is something to be cherished forever.

Confident and responsible : Children know they do wouldn’t be having their parents all the time to run to with their problems which makes them adapt to being confident and responsible. They know how to speak for themselves and take stand for themselves. More interaction with faculty also makes them more confident which some shy children at day school lack.

More pay more worthy : Boarding schools charge more and hence provide better learning and living facilities. Teachers and staff faculty are more experienced and specially trained in their field. Children get to learn from the best that there is. Laboratory and library facilities are so much better equipped which helps children to a great extent.

Free from bad habits : Early teenage is a tough time for both parents and children. Parents find it difficult to keep tab of what their children do in their peer group and to prevent them from indulging in ill habits like smoking, drinking and rash driving. At residential schools parents can be totally assured that their children would not be indulging in these kind of unhealthy activities. 

No:

Parent-child relationship gets affected : With less involvement of parents in the upbringing of the children, their relationship is not as strongly bonded as it should be. In the vital years of growing up, parents miss the bonding they do normally develop while at home with their children. Parents remain unaware of the way their child’s thought process shapes up to be as they grow up. They won’t run to you with their problems which makes most parents anxious.

More costly : Not that private day schools are any less costly these days, residential facilities only make the cost soar higher than reachable for middle class parents. The annual fees at the best boarding schools in India are so high that they only accommodate the children of rich parents. This somehow also affects the environment a child grows up in. Later they are found to be unaccepting and unable to make friends with children hailing from middle class families.

Nostalgia and homesickness : Children who have always lived with their parents find it really hard to adapt at boarding schools, far away from parents and family. Though it is normal for them to be nostalgic and homesick once in a while, there are some overtly sensitive children who cannot bear to be separated from either of the parents or siblings. Their progress in studies have been known to depreciate when they are sent to boarding schools.

Family values : This is controversial. While some people believe that staying far away from family and meeting them only once or twice makes the children grow fonder of the family and looks forward to spending time with them, others are of the view that keeping away from family makes them want to live in their own space and they are more likely to not be happy about their personal space being invaded.

Conclusion:

Boarding schools can be better than day schools for the overall development of the children depending on individual choice of parents and children. Not all children are as adaptive as the others and they are not likely to bear staying away from parents. Some children are also known to feel that they are punished by parents when sent to stay at boarding school.

Contrary to this, some children along with the cooperation from parents understand better and know that it is for their own benefit that they are sent to boarding school. Hence, it is more likely to depend upon the attitude, behaviour and parental nature of the parents that shapes the way a child benefits from staying at boarding schools or not.