<p>Maybe we should have consulted with my younger son before the application, but we didn't. Now my older son got accepted by Groton, and his younger brother is praying that his brother would change his mind and decide not to go. My younger son is in 5th grade right now and they are two years apart. Anyone on CC had similar hard decision before? What made you make the decisions?</p>
<p>Hi, Wilburig. I had a similar situation when I got accepted to Andover, and my younger sister wanted me to stay. I eventually decided to go because the opportunity was so incredible. My sister misses me, but gets to see me during the breaks, which are long (and sometimes arduous). Also, with modern technology like Skype and Facetime, I chat with my family almost every weekend.</p>
<p>We also have two boys, two years apart. If I may, therefore, I would suggest you have the younger one think about the situation in terms of his own future, including whether you see the younger son as likely to follow him there, in which case he could see his older brother as blazing the trail for him. Easier said than done, of course, esp. as I take it that the older one has just been accepted to the second form, yes? </p>
<p>I had the same thing happen when I was going through the process, although we were still in the looking phase. My brother did not want me to go. He’s a year younger and we are very close. My parents explained to him that this was an opportunity for him to live life out from under my shadow for a year or more. That seemed to work for him. </p>
<p>Also, depending on the circumstances, students are not away from home all that long, considering the breaks in the schedule. And as mentioned before, Skype is your friend. Looking back, we all adapted rather well.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Is there really a “decision” to be made here? Your son obviously wanted to go to Groton or he wouldn’t have gone through the application process, and presumably you were on board too. Would you really not send your older son to a top school that he wanted to attend because a 10 or 11 year old doesn’t want him to go? I can certainly understand asking for advice on how to make the younger brother feel better about the situation, but it doesn’t seem to me like there’s much of a “decision” to make here. </p>
<p>We have a similar age spread with our girls - now 10th and 7th. We all miss my oldest who is a first year sophomore at bs- I haven’t stopped smiling since she came home for break!- and honestly it has been very good for our younger daughter to have more of our time (older sister competed every weekend requiring one parent to drive), and my husband and I have enjoyed more together time as well. Younger brother may cry a bit at first but he will adjust quickly and by Thanksgiving it will be the “new normal.” </p>
<p>Thank you for all your good points. My son will be second form there. He is excited to go and I support him. A few others in the family feel different.</p>
<p>I think that he should go because of course your younger son will still see him over breaks and can easily video chat.</p>