Leaving home at 8

[bestmum]

Did anyone watch this programme on C4 last night at 9pm? What did you think of it? I felt really sorry for April she really didn't want to be there did she? As a parent myself I couldn't think of doing such a thing to my daughter. That poor girl must have felt so lonely and abandoned. Why have kids in the 1st place if you are going, to palm them off on a boarding school as soon as the turn 8. Must be quite rich to be able to send both kids to a private boarding school. Hope she is still enjoying being at boarding school now, i felt so sad for her.

[smudge]

We watched it too bestmum, but my husband had to walk out of the room as it was very upsetting for us, as we both had to leave our parents for a time when little.

I have always been against sending young children to boarding school & can't understand why these people have children in the first place, knowing that might be on the cards!

My sister & I were sent away to a convalescent home for 6 weeks back in 1952 (altho' it seemed like years)! I was just 5 & my sister was 9. There wasn't anything wrong with us, but my Mum was in need of a thorough rest due to a bout of severe depression, bless her heart.

Watching little April, so reminded me of me! I cried & cried for my Mum & Dad & just wanted to go home. However, after a couple of weeks, I knew that wasn't going to happen, so knuckled down to all the activities whilst there.

I stiil have many memories of my time there - the smell of the little round tin of Gibbs pink toothpaste, little green wellies all in a row, coats with mittens on strings, white & brown or yellow gingham dresses, the smell of the woods & shuffling through the leaves & finding a little castle made of toadstools by the fairies (that's what the nurses told us & we believed it - still do) brown bread & butter, writing home to Mum & Dad on coloured note-paper - also gagging on Macaroni cheese & hiding it under the cotton cloth on my tray!

Last but not least, singing this:

"Mummy Daddy take me home
From ths Convalesecent Home
I've been here a week or two
Now I want to be with you."

[smudge]

....not forgetting laying on camp beds & having little naps every afternoon.

Also the little Chapel at the back of the 'mansion' house, where we went to pray to Jesus to look after our Mummies & Daddies, boo hoo!

[pusskin]

oh dont ----i'll be bawling in a minute!

i didnt see last nights programme , but can imagine what a tearjerker it was x

some sad --some happy memories to last a lifetime x

[LoftyLottie]

My son boarded at 11, at his own request because he particularly wanted to go to the school concerned which specialised in something he excels at. He loved every minute of it, I was a wreck for a good six months when he left me. He did come home every three weeks but was always happy to go back. He actually benefited greatly from that school in many ways.

However, never at 8 years old would I send a child to boarding school and, if they cried like that little girl there is no way she would have gone back. I couldn't understand why she couldn't be living with her Mum anyway, whilst her Dad was in Afghanistan. 8, in my opinion, is far too young. However, my son, was always happy to stay away from home and never suffered from homesickness even from a very young age. Depends on the child I suppose.

I would add that we were and are not rich. I worked full time to send him to the school he desparately wanted to go to.

[smudge]

This was the programme pusskin:

http://www.channel4.c...mes/leaving-home-at-8

It was indeed very moving. ♥♥

[smudge]

http://www.channel4.c...me-at-8/articles/vote

[smudge]

Lottie - It must have been heart wrenching for you that your son so desparately wanted to go away to boarding school & it's a shame there wasn't a school nearby that specialised in the particular subject he excelled in, but glad he enjoyed it there.

Just scrolling down the 'vote' page on sending your child to Baording School, which currently shows:
Yes - 20%
No - 76%
Not yet sure - 5%

The stories will take some time to read through, but I will do later.

[Answerprancer]

..this'll cheer you up :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFx755QeJME

8 YO leaves home

[LoftyLottie]

Smudge. He also really fancied the boarding aspect!! Perhaps he wanted to get away from us...... He loved it. Mixed boarding house - separate sleeping quarters though for boys and girls!!!! Did their own washing and ironing and really did meet people from all over the world. Had a fantastic time and achieved great results. Only 35 miles from home.

[smudge]

Ha, ha, ha, I have seen that before Answerprancer - a friend sent me it via email some time ago.

You start off by feeling sorry for him, but soon realise he's a precocious little git! ;o}

[smudge]

pusskin - If you do manage to watch it on iplayer, make sure to have tissues at the ready! ♥

[smudge]

*I stand corrected - I just read this out to my husband & he said that most wellies were black in those days - trust him to notice, lol!

So, 'little black wellies all in a row'! ;o}

[bestmum]

Thank u all for your varied opinions. Smudge u made me feel really sad, but u sound ok now with the experince. I went to a convalescent hospitial about 10 miles from where i lived. I was on calipers and went to give my lovely mum a rest from all the caring she done for me. We were only allowed visitors once a week and when my mum came with my dad and seen how upset and homesick i was , my dad picked me up and cariied me out of the hospitial with the matron running after him telling him it was against the rules!!!! I really think if the child is happy to go and stay that okish but at 8 no.Wonder if they will do a follow up in a couple of years to see if they had been affected. Once again thanks every1 for their input. bestmum xx

[smudge]

Thank you bestmum - your story made me feel sad too.

I went away twice when I was little, once with my older sister, to the home I mentioned earlier, (Webbery Convalescent Home in Bideford, Nth Devon), then again when I was 9 years old with the same sister & a younger brother. That time seemed like hundreds of miles away too, but it wasn't until I was a teenager, that I realised it was only a few miles from our house & where Mum used to take me shopping on a Saturday.

It has affected me over the years, as whenever we're going away on holiday, I get an uspet stomach when packing & a dread of leaving our home. I enjoy it once we're there, but look forward to packing on the last day & getting back to familiar surroundings.

Everyone is different though & if children enjoy boarding, then that's good for them & their parents - although as Lottie says, it must be a wrench initially.

I hope your health soon improved bestmum & that you went on to have a happy , healthy life. -xx-

[bestmum]

Hi Smudge, sadly I was dogged with hip problems all my life and have just had a total hip replacement at 44. My Dad wanted me to go to the convalescent hospitial but my Mum wanted me to stay at home as she said she could manage, but she was worn out with looking after me and all my needs and my younger brother. She had no practical help from my Dad. Luckily she divorced him some years later!! My Mum done everything for me and I was always grateful sadly she died in 2006, but she knew how glad i was that she cared so much for me to do everything for me. I still miss and love her. She made the person I am today. I hope everything turned out ok for you Smudge. It has benn really nice talking to you and know you understand my feelings as they are quite similar to yours. Take care Smudge xx

[bestmum]

answerprancer that video was great made me and my daughter laugh our socks off. Thanks

[Answerprancer]

..glad to be of service :-)

[LoftyLottie]

Bestmum - you reminded me. I was in hospital for two weeks when I was 2 in 1949. My parents were not allowed to visit as it was thought it would upset the children. They were allowed to observe me through a window in the ward door!! I still have dreadful flashbacks to the whole experience. Funnily enough though it never made me a clingy child - it wouldn't have surprised me if it had.

At nine I spent a further 2 weeks in hospital and my parents were allowed to visit only at visiting times.

Thank goodness things have changed!!

[ummmm]

Yes...thank God Lofty. My son was in hospital for over a week when he was about 2 and I slept on a camper bed next to him every night.

When I was in hospital (a few times) My Mum and Dad could only stay at visiting times. I was scared and lonely.

[tamborine]

Answerprancer video shows an articulate, independant boy; to be admired for his confidence and grabbing his dream. So refreshing from kids who gawp & play digi games on expensive gadgets & tv, with little outside interests except 'drive in' McD or KFC, (more emphasis on fast food than exercise).

Parents abroad/foreign service/transitory have little choice with their kids education. The school educating this boy whom some think is 'precocious' shows your ignorance of every child's potential.