What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “boarding school?” If you’re like most people, probably something like “strict“ or “rebellious teen” pops into your head. We’ve all seen the movie scenario with parents at their wit’s end who are out of options for ways to help their defiant adolescent. They finally decide to send him off to boarding school, much to the chagrin of their defiant son.
However, times are changing, which means a reassessment of the stereotypical, negative image of boarding schools. A boarding school might offer just the solution you’re looking for to restore your family and provide your troubled teen with an excellent alternative to public school.
Reasons to Consider Utah
You might wonder why you should consider Utah. Quite simply, as the home to many boarding schools with excellent reputations, the state’s beautiful scenery and abundant outdoor life lend themselves to a positive, healing influence. Of course, you can also find wonderful boarding schools in other parts of the country, but you would do well to put Utah at the top of your list of potential boarding school locations.
Benefits that Boarding School Offers
Consider some of the following advantages of boarding school:
Developing independence - Your teen will learn self-reliance. Living away from home and apart from his parents’ protective shield provides the necessary environment for developing responsibility, life skills and independence. Requirements at boarding school include cleaning up after themselves, doing their own laundry and waking up on time. What better way to prepare them for college life and living in the real world? Not only that, but living away from home teaches young people the adverse consequences of negative decisions and mistakes. If Johnny oversleeps at home on a school day, mom might wake him up; at boarding school, he learns, what happens when he is late for school while in a safe environment.
Living in community - With typically smaller sizes than public schools and with students living in close-knit community, boarding schools mean that teens do both school and life together. As a result, your teen will form close friendships with his classmates, some of which may last for a lifetime.
Enjoyable activities - For many students, outdoor activities provide the highlight of boarding school life. The list of possible activities is almost endless: canoeing, hiking, rafting, cycling and skiing, to name just a few. Schools encourage extracurricular activities because teens who are given the time to participate in activities that they actually enjoy doing fare better, socially and academically, than those in an “all work no play” environment. For example, the students might bond through a rafting trip or camp out, especially as the school year winds down. Weekend activities might involve various day trips for the teens, such as rappelling, hiking and rock climbing.
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