The medical staff at PA were so professional and courteous over the summer. They give you an update in a timely manner if your teen has an unexpected medical issue.
My kiddos are eager to fly from the nest. I only shed tears of happiness. Planning to buy mattress memory foam topper. The twins said they will not need it . Have any one else purchased one?
@Mama Paradox yes mattress toppers are essentials in our experience. We have ordered ours off Amazon the last few years with great success. They have lasted years and are totally worth the investment - around $50.
@vegas1, thank you. I will purchase online today.
Yes. Itâs a must have.
The twins are wrong and will thank you later (maybe only in their own minds, but they will thank you). Their 13-yearr-old back might not care, but their 17-year-old one will be screaming in agony. Boarding school (or college) mattresses are not exactly Simmons Beautyrests. 
I dropped off my college sophomore DS1 in his dorm and made his bed: 3" memory foam pad, bamboo mattress pad topper, and twin XL fitted sheet. Still very easy to make the bed. 
NMH school does not allow memory foam pad, so DS2 has a feather pad called pillowtop featherbed. It has been losing feather and a bit messy (feathers everywhere) at the end of school year. He will have to toss it at the end of 4 years. 
He still likes it though and does not want a replacement yet.
We moved cjkid in on Saturday! It was not as tearful as I expected. Excitement of whatâs to come and the pride of raising a happy, confident and independent kid is all weâre feeling as cjkidâs parents. (For now, as classes havenât started yet!) =))
@CJ9623, when is the first day of classes? Sept. 7 is my twins first day of class. I plan to call the school cafeteria to order a surprise birthday cake for them. I am going with marble with chocolate frosting or do you think vanilla frosting is better?
Do you live far from cjkidâs school ? I will be driving my kiddos up to Mass. this Saturday so I can be well rested for their 9/4/18 registration day. It will probably be hectic on that day.
âNMH school does not allow memory foam pad, so DS2 has a feather pad called pillowtop featherbed.â
My kids used this or the synthetic down equivalent. Very comfy. We arenât foam people.
August 30th is the first day of classes. Cjkid checked in early for preseason so we had the advantage of moving in before the craziness of registration day, but the downside is it was very quiet - not a lot of freshman had arrived yet.
We are lucky to live under 2 hours away from the school, so we plan to visit as often as possible.
If the school cannot accommodate the birthday cakes, maybe a local bakery could deliver? As for the frosting - maybe one of each
Happy early Birthday to the twins!
We survived move-in day yesterday! I did not go since my younger son started school yesterday, but the report I got was that things went well. The registration and move-in process was well organized and my husband enjoyed the family meeting and the parent meeting. But it was a long day - they had 2 hours after lunch of downtime before the meetings. My son was mostly unpacked before lunch, so there was not much to do for all that time. My husband would have preferred that there only be an hour after lunch so that he could have left closer to 4pm instead of after 5pm for the drive home. But overall he was impressed and finally got to experience the school with kids and faculty there. He now understands how we fell in love with the school from day one. My son is very happy in his triple and has 2 great roommates. He was fine at separation time and was ready to move on to new adventures!
Best wishes to everyone and to your kids as they start school this year! Sending virtual hugs to parents after drop off⊠Thanks to the BS Class of 22 families who have shared this journey with us on CC over the past year (or more). Iâm looking forward to sharing this first year of boarding school with you all on CC. Your insights, support, and encouragement have meant the world to us. :-*
Was anyone else shocked at the sheer cost of textbooks? We got all of ours USED and it still amounted to a small fortune. (Had to buy riding boots & helmet plus camping gear, too⊠but thatâs Thacher for youâŠ)
Yes @CaliMex, the high school books were twice the cost of last year!
Some used books can still be near $100. It will be better next year though. I stopped buying textbooks for my daughter after her first year. She got most of her text books from other students at the end of last year, at better price than online. Also they can learn which previous editions are still acceptable from teachers. Considering the long academic career ahead, it is a great skill to learn asap.
Actually, I didnât think the books were that bad considering. I was expecting more $100+ textbooks. And the online books were downright cheap. In one case you download by chapter via Apple and itâs $1.00 per chapter. I tried ordering the really expensive books directly from the publisher (or online) and the savings were minimal so I decided to stick with the school. I really donât understand how they sell used books and you can rent books and write in them. What if someone has highlighted already? I couldnât imagine that so bought all new books. I did buy all the paperbacks from Amazon ( very cheap and quick)
@Happytimes2001 Some new books cost $300+, and buying them online wonât save you much unless you buy a used book and accept someoneâs writings and highlight. On a bright side, you might end up getting a Chemistry book with Half-Blood Princeâs writings.
@SculptorDad I guess we escaped easy this year. Science book was only $133 and the math is an online thing so essentially free. Inscribed verses are definitely a plus, but might be a distraction. Then again, the amount we have spent on books over the years is extreme. Iâm so sad Kindle books are now roughly the same or sometimes even more than paperbacks. The school bookstores seem to be in line with other sources. That was not the case many decades ago when I was in HS and they charged you a LOT more.
@Happytimes2001 You can also often find a new, international version book at a fraction of U.S. versionâs cost. For example, this $259 book sold at $190 on Amazon costs only $37 for a new international version. Same book other than being soft covered.
âIn March 2013, the Supreme Court ruled International Editions published anywhere can be sold in the USA.â
https://www.textbookrush.com/browse/Books/9780134093413
My daughter - 4th year at boarding school, started packing two days prior, still packing this morning, filled an SUV.
My son - 9th grader, new at boarding school, packed everything he needed in an afternoon, easily fit in the âwayback.â
But they are both happily installed at Tabor (athletes went back today), absolutely spectacular day and my daughterâs room has a harbor view!
@Garandman,we started packing last night. The car will be loaded after work today. Hoping for less traffic at 1pm. Two at Tabor makes traveling easier. The view of the habor must be so soothing. I must always speak to my lower back before these trips.