Even though boarding school can be an exciting and new journey for many with lots of laughter filled days and long term friendships, however, it can have its lows too. One of the major lows that a child faces when it comes to boarding schools is that they miss their family and friends back home.

Homesickness is something that tends to affect many children and is known as a common phenomenon in boarding schools. This is also because of the big changes that child faces from getting told what to do and having a schedule set for them to becoming independent and doing most things on their own like doing chores in the kitchen or washing their own clothes

However, there are a few things that the child can do to beat this feeling and use it constructively. You can find out more about boarding schools here toorakcollege.vic.edu.au

• Prepare for it

Homesickness is something normal that everyone faces when they leave their home. However, it is more important how you deal with these emotions. We suggest that you prepare for them when you leave home and keep them in your awareness. Change is difficult for everyone and homesickness will come. However, one should be determined and sure about the journey they have chosen to embark upon.

• Keep in touch

To ensure that homesickness does not occur or even if it does it doesn’t stick around for too long, we suggest that you keep in touch with your family. With the help of technology, social media, and the Internet for kids, keeping in touch should be no problem. Keep your loved ones updated on your daily events and call them every day. When you keep in touch with them and are in constant contact, you will feel better and are less likely to feel the full-blown impact of homesickness.

• Keep busy

When you sit alone and think too much about things, that’s when the homesickness tends to hit the hardest. This is why we suggest that you create a schedule or a routine where you keep yourself involved in your school activities and use your time constructively just so you do not feel the impact of homesickness. Also, when you become involved in various activities, you are likely to make more friends and interact more with people, which can be beneficial.

• Talk with the management

At times, children feel scared of talking to the management at the school about their feelings especially about feeling homesick and missing their parents. However, we believe that talking about it and letting them know will make the process much easier to handle and deal with. They will give you constructive advice which will help you deal with homesickness and may even make arrangements for you that benefit you.

• Stick with it

Even though in the beginning it may feel like you cannot do it and feel that going back home is all you want, however, 70 percent of the students who have been to boarding school believe that it prepared them for life and helped them deal with hurdles much more effectively. This is why we suggest that you stick with it and hopefully the homesickness will disappear soon.