부모의 관점: 캐서린 베일리와 로빈 페트라빅

2020년 겨울

기숙 학교에 다니는 십대 자녀의 부모가 되는 것은 어떤가요?

Robin: We miss him when he’s not here, but are happy knowing he’s happy where he is.

Cathy: With only one child it was way harder on us as parents then it is on our son, the adjustment was intense at first, but now we have freedom we can take advantage of while school is in session, and when school is out, we are able to drop everything, slow down and just enjoy each other.

자녀를 기숙학교에 보내는 이미지로 고민하는 학부모들에게 조언을 해준다면?

Cathy: It’s hard, but the most important thing is allowing your child the space to grow up and become their best self. Midland does this much better than most families can, while Midland doesn’t take the place of your family, it allows your child to have a supportive and beautiful place that is their own, in additional to their family. This places gives them their own purpose, it’s hard to explain this to friends and family, but after school starts and your child comes home and talks about their school experience, with confidence and excitement that I’m sure they will, the judgment by others will go away.

Robin: As hard as it can be for parents to admit, adolescence is the start on the path of building independence from one’s parents. For us it’s been easy to say that the opportunity to be with a community of his peers and grow from this experience is something we could never give him. This experience meets teenagers in a natural place for where they are in their development as people.

How has Midland’s academic rigor been for your child? 

Cathy: I feel like the academic rigor was just right. Freshman year it seemed the challenge was more in adjusting to what was expected both in and outside the classroom, then the academics. Sophomore year seems more challenging in the actual academic work, the bar seems higher, and our son seems to be ready to take on the challenge.

미들랜드에 있는 동안 자녀가 어떻게 성장했습니까?

Robin: We’ve noticed in our son that he’s got more pride in the contribution he makes to his school community — yes, chopping wood and lighting the shower fire really does emphasize the importance of the part each of them plays!

Cathy: The most obvious is confidence in himself, but his sense of responsibility to others and his understanding what it means to be counted on is remarkably different as well.

미들랜드가 자녀에게 적합하다는 것을 어떻게 알았습니까?

Cathy: I watched our son closely on our tour of Midland, and after shadowing a student. Exploring the campus he looked comfortable, he was smiling talking with the other students, his anxiousness seemed to melt away. It felt like he could fit in and it just felt right.

What advice do you have for parents who have a child who has been accepted to Midland and they are hesitant about making the leap to boarding?

Robin: It’s a 1 year commitment, not a 4 year commitment, and if you don’t give it a try you’ll never know if you would have loved it.

Cathy: It feels like it’s going to be such a big leap, and a big risk at first for the child, but watching it happen it really was only a big leap for us as parents. After two weeks at school, it felt natural for our son, he was totally happy and ready. It was much harder for us, than it was for him, and dropping him back off at school and seeing how comfortable and excited he is to go back every time makes it hard for us to remember that we felt hesitant to make the leap originally.