From bored to boarding

Thirty-five years ago, shortly after my 16th birthday, my parents finally got fed up with me and packed me off to boarding school. Now, half a lifetime later, my 16-year-old son is about to follow in my footsteps. The two scenarios aren’t quite the same (back then, it was my parents’ idea — this time, it’s my son who can’t wait to get away), but as I pack his trunk and think how much I’ll miss my one true pal, I can’t help wondering — am I doing the right thing?

Naturally, I have no idea — like most of life’s big decisions, it’s a roll of the dice. Yes, I can cite all sorts of reasons why going away to school at 16 is a thoroughly good idea (it’s a bridge between school and university, it’ll teach him to become independent, etc) but to be honest, if I put my mind to it, I can think of just as many downsides.