Boarding School v/s Day School

Boarding school and day school seem like the best of friends and worst of rivals on the playgrounds. Each have their own community, their own identity and their own challenges to deal with. While one may have more freedom, the other might flourish better under parental care. Boarding and Day schools are an important choice for many parents and children, as both have their own ups and downs

The advantages of Day Schooling

When children are very young, they need a lot of attention at home and at school. They need a constant positive role model, otherwise they tend to turn naughty. At the critical juncture, kids need a more hands-on approach to create positive situations for them to learn in. This approach is given more in day schooling, where kids can interact with children they choose to play with, and then go home to parents who provide for them emotionally.

Sadly, when kids are put to their own devices, they may resort to the least common denominator of behavior and social etiquette. Positive role models that teach them the value of positive conversations, distinguishing personalities, and special skills to deal with life – are the most beneficial of all. These role models are mostly the parents who understand their child more than others.

The child’s choice towards day school or boarding

The constant acceptance, love and support that a child need can only be given by a parent. Some parents are super-supportive and provide an environment for a child to fully express themselves. The risk of becoming “another stereotype” is higher in boarding-schools. Kids may only be given experiences that are limited to that of the students at the boarding schools, making them adapt to create personas based off these other kids. Therefore, day-schooling provides a great space for parents to have long conversations with their kids so that they can build their future personalities based on love and trust.

These core-personalities are shaped as young as age 6-7, and it’s important for the parent to mold them into a manner that creates the most amount of positive impact. Early impressions, early influences and risk of adverse effects, can make most parents opt for day-schooling rather than boarding outlets. When the kids become teens, there could be exposure to drugs, alcohol and other experiences that may stray the child away from the correct path. Since wardens and boarding-school teachers can’t monitor the kids 24/7 there is a large possibility of these teens losing a few years of their lives to pointless hobbies and dangerous activities. Parents must be there to take charge, when no one else does.

The rising need for Boarding-school

While some may say that boarding schools aren’t the way to go, the rising number of nuclear families in India is on the rise. In the metro cities, that statistics is easily around 70% of all households. Taking the rise of women working in the labour-force, the amount of time spent with a child diminishes significantly, while the child’s quality of life increases. Quite often the child doesn’t even have access to a garden or basic greenery or play time.

In these cases, it’s better for the child to study at a boarding school where they can learn to play in green pastures and enjoy a life that has been lost in most major cities in India. The quiet innocence of the boarding school, ensures that kids aren’t made aware of all the bad things happening in life, and are allowed enough time to fully develop.

Also, although boarding schools may appear to be restrictive or segregating, most modern ones are quite progressive. Many of them have a strict no-bullying policy and have counsellors and helpers who are there to take care of kids. The children learn to understand critical social developmental skills at the early age, and are then becoming more independent and mature at a younger age. These kids, learning together, may perform higher on standardized tests and have relationships that last a life time with their friends. Shy kids may start to come out of their shells and arrogant kids may find themselves humbled without fancy cars and homes.

It’s not just the child’s or the parent’s decision to opt for either one. It’s a decision taken after years of research, in choosing the best school, boarding houses, and opportunities for the kid. If the kid’s decided to pursue science and a particular day-school has great science courses, then boarding school is the better option. If the child is dependent on a healthy social structure, then day schooling is key. It’s a situation where multiple factors must be taken before taking a final call.