Prospective Boarding Parent FAQ #1: 'Why Should I Consider Boarding School?'

The first question I will tackle in my 10-part Prospective Boarding School Parent FAQ blog series is one of the most common questions we get in the Admission Office: 

"I’m having a hard time with the idea of being away from my child. Why should I consider boarding school/Darlington?"

We often find that it is the student who is leading the boarding school search process, while the parents haven't quite yet warmed up to the idea of boarding school. As a boarding school alumna myself, this was very similar to my experience, but Darlington was the only one for me.

My grandfather had graduated from Darlington in 1948, so I grew up hearing about the school. It wasn’t until my brother, Jamey (’94), came that I actually thought I might go, too. He started his freshman year and I loved meeting his friends. They were always so nice to me, and Darlington seemed to be such a magical place!

When I was in eighth grade, I came to a Discover Darlington visit day and spent the night in the dorms. Everyone was so welcoming and made me feel at home as soon as I stepped foot on campus. My mom and dad will tell you to this day that they didn’t want me to come to Darlington but are so happy that I did.

Don't just take my word for it, though. Below, five mothers of current or recently graduated boarding students share why Darlington's boarding program was the best choice for their child and how they have handled the separation:
 
"If you are struggling with the decision to have your child attend school away from home as a boarder, you are not alone. Our son really wanted to attend Darlington. On the drive home after our scheduled tour of the campus, it hit me. My child may live away from me in just a few short months. It was the first time in my life that I felt such a powerful mix of emotions at one time. I was proud of his hard work and his need for a more challenging academic setting that would better prepare him for college. I was fearful that I would miss out on his high school experiences. I felt guilt that he would think that I wasn't a loving parent because I could even consider this decision. I felt excitement that my child would be exposed to opportunities that he could not have elsewhere. This pull between my head and heart lasted for several days. I talked with our son about my feelings and he said to me, “Mom, I know that you love me whether I am at home or at Darlington.” It made me realize that I would still be with him even from a distance. The best advice I would give to another parent considering boarding school at Darlington would be to separate what you want from what your child needs. Deep down you already know that your child is built for more. Selecting Darlington is one of the best decisions that we have ever made for our child. He is very happy as a boarding student and he is receiving a lifetime of amazing experiences." - Pam Doig of Gainesville, Ga., mother of Ben ('19) 
 
"We miss our daughter tremendously while she is at school, but we try to communicate with her either via, phone call, text or FaceTime every day. While we knew we would miss her very much, we also knew that it would be selfish of us to prevent her from taking advantage of the amazing opportunity she is afforded at Darlington." - Merritt Fields of Cordele, Ga., mother of Aisling ('18)
 
"Teenagers tend to be not so talkative and not seen much around the house anyway, but each day while away at school, my child texted every morning to say, “Good morning, mom. I am fine and ready for the day. How about you?” At the end of each day after her study hall hours, she called and we chatted on the phone about the entire day before we both went to sleep. This allowed both of us to stay in touch talking about our frustrations and good times of the day. We actually had long conversations and our relationship became stronger than ever." - Sheila Ebri of Brunswick, Ga., mother of Bernadette ('17)
 
"You would consider Darlington if after your research, visits and connection with the admission staff, you felt that it would be a good fit for your child. As a parent, the boarding component can be difficult at first, but then it becomes your new normal." - Elizabeth Bou of Marietta, Ga., mother of Madelyn ('18)
 
"Parents are naturally apprehensive to send their kids away. Will they be looked after? Will they fit in? Who will take care of them when they get sick? Who will do their laundry? These are many of the questions that go through a parent’s head. So, why Darlington? Simple, the school puts the child and their needs first. Children are in a home-like environment where everyone there has one purpose and that is to help mold and take care of that child so that he/she can meet his/her fullest potential. Everyone at Darlington is an expert in their field from the dorm parents who act as surrogate parents during the school year to the nurse and everyone in between. And yes, they will learn to do their own laundry." - Paula Bacardi of Nassau, Bahamas, mother of Alex ('18) and Ted ('19)

For more information about Darlington School's boarding program, feel free to contact me anytime or you can also request a campus visit by clicking here.