Permit me to discuss this topic from the viewpoint of a parent, an educator and a one-time boarder.
I attended a Unity school when Unity Schools were the talk of the town. In those days, if as a parent your child wasn’t in a Federal school, you would do all within your reach to ensure he/she gets in and if your child wasn’t in a Federal school, you just “couldn’t feel among”. The days when we wrote two main secondary entrance exams – Federal and State, the days when we were EDUCATED, the days when children from different tribes lived together not even understanding that we were different. The days when we had TEACHERS!
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Hmmm…really thought-provoking, Daisy. This is a very delicate topic.
Morals were high back then, they are no longer so today. Back then, internet wasn’t as strong and widespread as it is today. So, today’s parent has even more demons to fight. However, just as the challenges have become more so also has the burden to make the two ends meet. Husband and wife have to work round the clock in order to pay bills. The more reason why at the slightest opportunity, we bundle the kids off to school. And heave a big sigh of relief.
It’s tough. But we cannot continue to shirk in our responsibilities. Sometimes, even the kids that are at home are still not getting the attention of the parents. They are being raised by house-helps. And in this age where you can access any and everything in the world just by having an android phone in your palms, you will agree that it calls for more vigilance.
Thanks for this piece and this reminder. As a teacher, I can identify
Very insightful comment Juwon. Thanks for the kind words!
Very nice write up.I don’t think I would want my kids in a boarding house too even though I attended one.I still remember your experience Daisy and of course the world has gotten much worse.
Oh yes Ijeoma! Experiences worth remembering. Thanks for commenting.
Beautiful write up!!!….I think it really depends on the kind of boarding house one attends and the schedule of the both parents. I and my siblings attended a christian boarding school primarily because my parents were civil servants with a typical 9-5 type job (putting lagos traffic in that equation, that means we only get to see our parents at night on weekdays and on weekends) hence making boarding school the only viable option at the time. Staying away from my parents at a young age was not fun at first but I quickly adjusted and this was due to the fact that my parents started preparing us for boarding school at a very young age and also completed thorough research on the boarding school that we eventually attended to make sure that it was in line with the morals and goals they wanted us to attain. Overall, I will say that i enjoyed living in boarding school for 6 years as it gave me first hand experience on how to live and adapt in a new environment at a very young age; a quality which most of my peers didn’t have at the time.
Acknowledging the fact that times have changed and the world of teenagers is becoming something else especially with the emergence of internet and social media, I still think there are good christian boarding schools out there with the best interest of the kids that parents can explore.
I understand your point Obyno. Also, permit me to add that when a parent in this Twenty First Century is able to answer the question “why is the child being sent to a boarding school?” without any iota of self centeredness on the part of the parent, then it is settled. After all, what works for one may not work for the other. But also being aware that it is about the child. Thanks for the kind words and for commenting.
Nice piece Daisy, I too went to boarding school and yet will not send my kids to boarding school- at least not until they’re about 15. I am here with them to give them the talks my parents never gave me and hopefully raise strong confident men with the right values and outlook on life. Its not easy and it does take a lot of your time, but I think its worth the investment. Lets stop allowing our broken society do it for us. Things have changed immensely.
A well noted point Molekor. Thanks for commenting!