Some people have no choice you know. What if parents have a job, where they are sent abroad and there are no schools? It isn't unheard of! A lt of people in that situation would put their children into boarding school near their grandparents so they can go home to them at the weekends. You can't judge people who put their children into boarding schools without knowing the whole story.

No, I wouldn't choose to do it, especially at 8 but Niamh will be given the choice at 12 if she wants to go to boarding school due to the nature of OHs job meaning we move all the time. I had to move all the time as a child, and I begged my Mum to send me to boarding school so I wouldn't have to move anymore. Niamh will always have the choice.

Also, some boarding schools take children from age 5, which IMO is much worse than 8.

I totally agree. These were Military families and their circumstances were completely different.

I really felt for April's Mum as she had such a hard decision to make - does she put her children in day education only for them to be moved 3 times a year all over the world or does she think about their long term stability, a great education and friends that will be friends for longer than 3 months at a time.............................

Until any of us are placed in the same predicament we have no right to judge.

Its not something i would choose for my children, but i can see why some parents choose it.
I always wanted to go to boarding school when i was younger, but i was very unhappy at home, my eldest went through a stage of wanting to go to, but that was more down to the fact she thought it would be like Hogwarts!!!

Actually we can judge the three families in this show, because we do know their reasons.

And none of them had that situation! The wives and children stayed home when the hubbies went abroad. I don't disagree with boarding schools especially for military families, but I do before secondary school age.8 is just insane in my opinion.

5! whatever about 8 sending a 5 year old away is just wrong these kids basicaly have no parents 5 days a week, i don't know how they cope

Were they families who moved around (military or otherwise) or not? because one person has said they were, one has said they weren't and I didn't watch the show.

Anyway, no I don't feel you can judge these people's parenting choices regardless. Because even if you know what they do for a living, you don't know the whole story.

For instance, if you are in the military you get subsidised schooling for your child. So you can send them to a private boarding school, and the military will cover a lot of the fees. However, they will only do this for ONE school in the entirety of the child's education. So you have the option of putting them into a school where you know they will be given he stability they cannot get at home, and you can never move them to another school, or one closer to you.

I grew up abroad, in a non-military family. There were no English speaking schools past aged 8 in one country I lived in.

I firmly believe that most people do the best by their children, and try their hardest to be a good parent. So yes, I don't think it is fair to judge a situation until you have been in it, or know the whole story. A cutting edge documentary on TV that will take a biased slant, is not the whole story.

One family was in the forces x

Very well said........

I didnt watch the show and therefore can not comment on that but...

I think that no parents come to the decision of putting a child in boarding school lightly, they consider a lot of things and I sure "most" of them do what they consider best for the child.

I know many military families who have put there children into boarding school (and yes the children are very young), but these families have always looked to see if they think the child is emotionally ready to be away from the parents. The alternative for many of these children is to move schools every other year, many schools not offering the standard of education as others etc.

I personnally would not put my child in to a boarding school (unless it was day boarding), but I can understand why families do.

I watched this and the four girls that were new and sharing a room were all from military families and I personally agreed with their choice as it does provide stability. I'm from a forces background and moved around a lot as a child up to when I was 16, I was very lucky not to have my exams mucked up on a couple of occasions and if my dad was not leaving at the time he was my little brother would have more than likely had to go to boarding school as he was falling behind. Whilst I loved moving around (got to live in Hong Kong for two years!) I do wonder if this is what contributes to me constantly want to move as an adult and generally feel unsettled deep down. My parents made the right decisions so I would never blame them and had a great childhood but I do wonder if I would feel different now if I had been able to stay in one place. I'm certain I would have done better academically.

everyone is entiltled to their own opinion but i must be stupid cos i really dont know why you would have children just to put them in boarding school children grow up very quickly and you dont want to miss any part of the wonderful expeirence. One family on the show was from military but the mother stayed home it was only the father who traveled so why coudlt the children stay home with them, and one lil boy didnt even bother going home on the weekends anymore has he found it to sad, what does that say about your kids if they dont want to come home on a weekend to see you. that poor lil girl april in the show broke my heart all she wanted was a cuddle from her mummy.