View Full Version : leaving home at 8!
sweets
11-02-2010, 09:10 PM
anyone watching it on channel 4?
i'm sorry but in my opinion it is wrong wrong wrong!
i can understand the army families wanting stability for their children because of the constant moving about but why cant the mum have a stable address and the army dads visit when they can. surely thats better than sending 8 year olds away.:(
FizzysFriends
11-02-2010, 09:12 PM
Just switched over now to watch.
jellytot
11-02-2010, 09:15 PM
I'm watching and I have no sympathy, if you want kids you bring them up!!
LOOPYLISA
11-02-2010, 09:19 PM
I could never send dd away, no way :thumbsup:
sweets
11-02-2010, 09:20 PM
cant belive that hard faced woman just said that that homesick children 'play' up to their parents on the phone.:angry:
Noodles
11-02-2010, 09:21 PM
It would break my heart to send my children away dont know how anyone can do it :panic: :panic:
anyone watching it on channel 4?
i'm sorry but in my opinion it is wrong wrong wrong!
i can understand the army families wanting stability for their children because of the constant moving about but why cant the mum have a stable address and the army dads visit when they can. surely thats better than sending 8 year olds away.:(
i agree 100% :thumbsup:
poor kids :(
Tina O
11-02-2010, 09:27 PM
Hello all, this is my first time on here and it's great!!!
can I just say as an army family we have two children and never never never will ever consider sending my child away, there are a few of us over here (Germany) who do not believe boarding school for kids is an answer, I didn't have my kids to send them away, so not all army parents send them away, in order to cope with constant moving (10th house in 16yrs - 14yrs old in his 7th school) I 'interfer' in schools. PTA etc and make sure I know what the kids are doing...... you can be in the army and have your kids at home xx:rolleyes:
sweets
11-02-2010, 09:53 PM
Hello all, this is my first time on here and it's great!!!
can I just say as an army family we have two children and never never never will ever consider sending my child away, there are a few of us over here (Germany) who do not believe boarding school for kids is an answer, I didn't have my kids to send them away, so not all army parents send them away, in order to cope with constant moving (10th house in 16yrs - 14yrs old in his 7th school) I 'interfer' in schools. PTA etc and make sure I know what the kids are doing...... you can be in the army and have your kids at home xx:rolleyes:
good for you. lol. i can understand that it can be unsettling to change schools so often but thats got to be better than being sent away.
poor kids, feel so sorry for them,
their childhood is something these kids and their parents can't get back :(
huggableshelly
11-02-2010, 09:58 PM
the child just stated ... sometimes you just forget about them ....
refering to her Parents
very sad, its not something I could do and part of me admires the family for the way they are dealing with thier life choice
kindredspirits
11-02-2010, 09:58 PM
i went to boarding school at 11 and hated every minute of it and cried myself to sleep every night from age 11 to 16 :(
miffy
11-02-2010, 10:02 PM
Saw a trailer for it with a little girl sobbing - couldn't watch it! :(
Miffy xx
solly
11-02-2010, 10:02 PM
my Dad was in the RAF and we moved around alot, i was sent to Boarding school at the age of 9 although I hated it this was going back many years but it didnt do me any harm, i haven't seen the programme so cant comment but surely it is better to have a stable schooling than constantly moving around from school to school IMO
Noodles
11-02-2010, 10:07 PM
my Dad was in the RAF and we moved around alot, i was sent to Boarding school at the age of 9 although I hated it this was going back many years but it didnt do me any harm, i haven't seen the programme so cant comment but surely it is better to have a stable schooling than constantly moving around from school to school IMO
My ex was raf and i never considered putting my children in boarding school if i felt their schooling was going to be affected that much i would have had a permanent base and stayed with the children and let my ex move around
Blackhorse
11-02-2010, 10:25 PM
I dont think anything is more important than your kids or family.
school is just school and if I was that worried about it I would home school.
dont think it should be allowed to send your kids away like that.
sorry might be harsh but I am in tears watching the girls cry
jelly15
11-02-2010, 10:48 PM
My DS is of to Uni in Sept and I am already fretting about it (don't tell him though). I would never in a million years have sent my two to boarding school, I think it is unnatural.
Cammie Doodle
12-02-2010, 09:36 AM
My future daughter- in - law went to military boarding school. She then went on to Uni, but is so fed up with "School"she can't face going back to get her Teaching Certs, bless her. When my son met her he was horrified as he could not understand why Parents would send their kids away:panic: He gets on really well with his future in laws, but says no child of theirs will EVER go away to school. Thank God for that.
I'm sure lots of Parents don't make the decsion lightly, but it sooooo goes against my motherly instincts DS is the single most important thing in mine and Hubby's life (even though he is 26 lol)
Chatterbox Childcare
12-02-2010, 11:56 AM
I've recorded it and haven't watched it yet
Beckieboo
12-02-2010, 12:10 PM
I watched it and there is no way i would be sending mine away!!
Although my 6 and a half year old twins were watching it in bed with me as i thought it would do them good to see a school where you can go away from home!! :idea: :laughing: :laughing:
They sat so quietly watching it, i reassured them that they would never be going..................... if they are good!!! :laughing:
mamasheshe
12-02-2010, 03:55 PM
i agree 100% :thumbsup:
poor kids :(
this is what me and dh where saying
Blackhorse
12-02-2010, 04:08 PM
what got to me as well was that the mum of one of the LOs then was all by herself as the husband was on duty and the kids off to boarding school....
if my dp had to be away I would at least want to be around my kids not be all alone...
and the kids saying that it is better not to go home for visits as that makes you more sad when you have to leave.....
I found it very emotional...
Chatterbox Childcare
13-02-2010, 02:45 PM
Well I watched it and whilst it would not be my cup of tea I understand why the families have done it. The stability is will give the children has to be considered.
I am from an RAF family and I was constantly moving and changing schools and making new friends all the time got harder as I got older. Those 4 children will be life long friends.
Personally I couldn't bear the thought of sending any of my children to boarding school - I definetly think 8 is far too young and completely wrong.
One of the many things that upset me in that documentary was when one of the children were talking (I think it was a little boy) and he said "parents send their children to boarding school because .... erm, well I don't know why they send them but.."
The poor children probably think they're being punished for something or are not loved any more! If you're going to send your child away the least you can do is try to explain your reasons to them.
I have to admit I haven't threatened boarding school before when my older two have played up but they know there's no way I could ever do it - it would break my heart.
Each to their own I suppose!
funtoplay
14-02-2010, 08:12 AM
Hello all, this is my first time on here and it's great!!!
can I just say as an army family we have two children and never never never will ever consider sending my child away, there are a few of us over here (Germany) who do not believe boarding school for kids is an answer, I didn't have my kids to send them away, so not all army parents send them away, in order to cope with constant moving (10th house in 16yrs - 14yrs old in his 7th school) I 'interfer' in schools. PTA etc and make sure I know what the kids are doing...... you can be in the army and have your kids at home xx:rolleyes:
Hi,
i too am an army family and i would say the percentage that actually send their children away is actually quite small. I know some people who have older children who send them to boarding school purely because they are at the GCSE stage of their education, this is also the childrens choice and the army gets them home every holiday.
Having the non military partner stay in one address is not really an option for a family life. Our postings are usually 3 years and could you imagine a partner living permanently away from home and just visiting from time to time!! For me it would be like not being married and my children having no father!!
We are in cyprus at the moment and the experiance my children are having is far better than one they would be having in the uk!!! I wouldn't dream of sending my children away!!
I have not seen the programme so can't comment on that. It is not just army families that send their children away!! I am sure they have probably picked families that are going to stir up good television!!!
It is very hard to understand the life of forces families when you aren't living it!!!
Julia
manjay
14-02-2010, 08:54 AM
It wasn't just army families that were shown in the documentary. It is absolutely not something I could ever imagine doing but I do think it is unfair to judge the families who have made that choice. JMHO:rolleyes:
FizzysFriends
14-02-2010, 10:08 AM
Hi,
Having the non military partner stay in one address is not really an option for a family life. Our postings are usually 3 years and could you imagine a partner living permanently away from home and just visiting from time to time!! For me it would be like not being married and my children having no father!!
I'd rather live away from a partner and see them less than my children
sweets
14-02-2010, 10:10 AM
I'd rather live away from a partner and see them less than my children
agreed. sending your children away would be a worse 'family life' IMO:(
LOOPYLISA
14-02-2010, 11:02 AM
We are in cyprus at the moment and the experiance my children are having is far better than one they would be having in the uk!!! I wouldn't dream of sending my children away!!
I agree, infact its something we will be def looking into doing soon :thumbsup:
Tina O
14-02-2010, 11:12 AM
To 'Funtoplay' - Julia,
Can I ask if you are pressured over in Cyprus to send the kids to boarding school like we are in Germany? I find it is 'sold' to families as the 'best' option over here, I have also had a secondary school teacher suggest to us that our 14yr should go to boarding school because we complained about moving him between years 8 + 9...... into his 3rd secondary school in 3 years. Boarding schools always seems to be advertised in the paper and on information given about being in BFG...? Is that the same over with you?
I agree with what you say about MOD schools I think we do get a good deal as classes are smaller and we get more 'afterschool' activities, afterall how many school in UK take children from year 5 on skiing trips? .......
claireLouise
14-02-2010, 12:23 PM
I think we should not be quick to judge. One of my friends is from an army family and she says sending her to boarding school was the best decsion her parents made for her. So each child is different and for some it is the right descision and for others it isn't. All parents try their best it is easy to judge when you do not have to make such a difficult descision.
Regards
funtoplay
14-02-2010, 06:40 PM
I'd rather live away from a partner and see them less than my children
I would rather we all lived together where ever we are in the world. I would never send my children away!!!!!!
funtoplay
14-02-2010, 06:51 PM
To 'Funtoplay' - Julia,
Can I ask if you are pressured over in Cyprus to send the kids to boarding school like we are in Germany? I find it is 'sold' to families as the 'best' option over here, I have also had a secondary school teacher suggest to us that our 14yr should go to boarding school because we complained about moving him between years 8 + 9...... into his 3rd secondary school in 3 years. Boarding schools always seems to be advertised in the paper and on information given about being in BFG...? Is that the same over with you?
I agree with what you say about MOD schools I think we do get a good deal as classes are smaller and we get more 'afterschool' activities, afterall how many school in UK take children from year 5 on skiing trips? .......
Hi,
We have only been in cyprus since beginning of January. But I wouldn't say there is any pressure to send them to boarding school. There is information in the army magazines but i just see it as information on what is available. No one has every mentioned or recommended I send my children to boarding. Perhaps this would be different if my children were in there GCSE years
The school here is great, the school here is graded outstanding. So far my daughter in year 3 has been on 4 school trips and is also swimming at school. The after school clubs are amazing, so many things to try. She is now learning to ride horses and also has more swimming lessons after school, she is going to be a fish when we leave!!. But there are countless things she can do. Plus today we were at the beach to play in the sea and had greek food for lunch. Next week they are walking the beach looking for turtle nests to help save the leather back turtles. How could sending my children away be better than this!!!
Julia
Rubybubbles
12-03-2010, 07:33 PM
Well I watched it and whilst it would not be my cup of tea I understand why the families have done it. The stability is will give the children has to be considered.
I am from an RAF family and I was constantly moving and changing schools and making new friends all the time got harder as I got older. Those 4 children will be life long friends.
One person for it:)
We are sending our children to boarding school, but I have had this chat before on here:rolleyes:
What is right for one family is not always right for another:p
LOOPYLISA
12-03-2010, 07:37 PM
One person for it:)
We are sending our children to boarding school, but I have had this chat before on here:rolleyes:
What is right for one family is not always right for another:p
Your right we are all different, wouldnt it be boring if we were all the same :laughing:
Personally not for me :thumbsup:
loocyloo
12-03-2010, 08:28 PM
i used to nanny for a family whose father was a master in a boys boarding prep school. so then, when the boys reached 8yr, they then atended this school. and despite the family living within the school grounds, the boys both had to board! the elder child was already there when i started to care for the younger children and although i was there for 2 years, i never really got to know him. school appeared to suit him though! the next one started school and was quite unhappy. i used to take the younger children for walks to feed the ducks/chickens when i knew it was 'free time' etc, and had a fair idea of where this child might be, so we saw him most days, and of course he saw his dad everyday. (mum worked long hours, so none of the children saw much of mum!) i did wonder though, if he would have been happier if he hadn't seen us so much.
thats my only experience of boarding school.
margimum
12-03-2010, 09:02 PM
I am sure that parents do not take this decision lightly or easily.
Whilst I say I could never have sent my children away (they're grown up now)
I was never put in this position.
BF life sounds great in this thread... are there downsides? obviously besides missing close family?
Mookins
12-03-2010, 09:13 PM
my stepson goes to a specialist boarding school...reasons are because of his aspergers...not through choice...was THE hardest thing his dad(my hubby) and his mum have ever had to do....if people do this just because...disgusting:angry:
saying that my oldest brother went to boarding school he has had the best education out of all 5 of us and is now ....fighting for his country...not sure why mum chose to send him there...education wise he done better than the rest of us i think:blush: but you cant compare as all children are different (as we all know)
didnt watch the programme personally but as many of you already said no way could i send my baby away never ever
x x x