If you have multiple kids, how do you balance best individual fit with what’s best for fam as a whole?

[Anonymous]

We have three kids. One is in early elementary. She is bright but so far doesn’t seem super academically motivated. She’s doing well at a wonderful K-6/K-8 that is welcoming and does not seem very academically competitive in the older years. Strong education but comparatively less homework, etc

Next year we’ll be applying to K for our second child. It’s too early to really know what kind of learner she’ll be but she seems to be gifted and her preschool teachers talk about how she is the leader in the class. Smart, social, kind, hard working.

We have a third child who is starting preschool next year so truly have no sense of her abilities yet, but we’ll be asking the same questions in a few years.

Again, it’s too early to know but we think our second child could potentially thrive at a Big 3 school in a way that might not be the right match for our first. DD #1 seems to be bright enough to do well at a more demanding school but I’m not sure she has the natural interest to thrive in a more demanding environment. I think our DD #2 would be fine at the school DD#1 is at but may thrive in a different environment.

At the same time, we are two working parents with busy lives and activities of 3 kids to support. We would really like to aim for our kids to be in the same school. We’d making adjustments if it wasn’t working but I’d rather not start with three kids in different schools.

If you have multiple kids, did you send all your kids to the same school? How did you balance that with choosing what seems to be the ideal environment for each kid?

Several years ago I probably would just start by sending our second to the same school our oldest is at and then applying out if we want to try a Big 3. But admissions has been so insane as of late that we’d prefer to try for admission in kindergarten.

How did you strike the right balance for your family?

[Anonymous]

Stick with current school. Opinions of preschool teachers notwithstanding, it's hard to predict what your middle child may need. The logistical price of kids at different schools for so many years is a steep price to pay for what, in younger grades, is not a big difference in instruction.

Don't count your "gifted" chickens so early.

[Anonymous]

If the logistical price isn't too high (i.e., juggling the Big 3 and your current school doesn't mean a ton of extra driving), go ahead and apply for K because DD #2's chances of admission are already going to be low and it will only get tougher over the years. So you may need two or more tries even to have this choice.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids in 3 different schools.
2 have learning differences so it was very important to find the right school for them.

In this case - it is the right schools for the child and the family as the stress on the family of kids being in the absolute wrong school - not getting what they need during the school day was too great of a cost.

Negatives: Schedules do not align. Each kid has a different week off for spring break.
Transportation logistics - we make it work but when one parent has an early or late meeting there is a lot of juggling.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids in two different schools. They are very different kinds of students who need different approaches. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to go to their sibling's school. It's a little annoying, especially when spring breaks aren't at the same time, but not a huge deal.

[Anonymous]

3 kids at 3 different schools for 1 year (next year younger child will join middle child in K. It has been difficult. Our schools are all in Cleveland Park, we live 10 minutes away and 1 week of spring break overlaps, but it’s a struggle keeping up with 3 separate schools.

Drop offs take 1 hour because of different drop off times. Pick ups (done by our nanny) also take 45 minutes and nanny needs to rush because two kids get out at the same time.

Then you can add all parents teacher conferences on differs days, different days off, different school events, different volunteering needs, etc.

I suggest you pick a school like Maret that can cater to all different abilities and needs.

[Anonymous]

Education is student dependent not the other way around

Your small private is just ridiculous
Why are you settling for mediocre for your first child much less the rest of your kids?

Religious private?

[Anonymous]

Three kids and 2 schools. At the one school where 2 DC are at currently (HS), DC# 1 is in honors program and the other is in a program for learning differences. Nice to have both options in the same school.

[Anonymous]

Please don't hold you second kid back just to be in the same school as the first child. It's unfair to rotate the entire family around the oldest child.

Apply for schools for your child based on that child's ability. Maybe then child number one will have a leg up to join child two at middle or high school.

Hopefully third child will fit in well at one of those two schools. But if not, let child three go to the good it for her.

For the person who is taking an hour to drop off a three schools in Cleveland Park - if any of those kids are fourth grade or higher, they should be able to walk a few blocks to another school. You don't need to be a chaffeur to that degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don't hold you second kid back just to be in the same school as the first child. It's unfair to rotate the entire family around the oldest child.

Apply for schools for your child based on that child's ability. Maybe then child number one will have a leg up to join child two at middle or high school.

Hopefully third child will fit in well at one of those two schools. But if not, let child three go to the good it for her.

For the person who is taking an hour to drop off a three schools in Cleveland Park - if any of those kids are fourth grade or higher, they should be able to walk a few blocks to another school. You don't need to be a chaffeur to that degree.

Oh and also they should be ok with getting to school a little early or waiting a little bit after school

[Anonymous]

We do what's best for each individual kid. If that means one parent is making two drop-offs, so be it. We felt it came down to not being lazy parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three kids and 2 schools. At the one school where 2 DC are at currently (HS), DC# 1 is in honors program and the other is in a program for learning differences. Nice to have both options in the same school.

May I ask which school? Very interested in a school that could be a good fit for all our kids

[Anonymous]

Personally I’m less sold on the advantages of a big 3 environment, and I think there are a lot of pros to having young children at the same school. I’d rather have a nurturing environment for all 3 kids than fret about academic rigor, or whatever else, at this age. When children are old enough to have a say in preferences (middle and high), that’s when I’d differentiate. Maybe I’m alone but I just don’t think the world will end if DD2 doesn’t get into a big 3 at that age because it’s more selective. You’ll be able to make informed choices, at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't hold you second kid back just to be in the same school as the first child. It's unfair to rotate the entire family around the oldest child.

Apply for schools for your child based on that child's ability. Maybe then child number one will have a leg up to join child two at middle or high school.

Hopefully third child will fit in well at one of those two schools. But if not, let child three go to the good it for her.

For the person who is taking an hour to drop off a three schools in Cleveland Park - if any of those kids are fourth grade or higher, they should be able to walk a few blocks to another school. You don't need to be a chaffeur to that degree.

Oh and also they should be ok with getting to school a little early or waiting a little bit after school

Problem is the older kid has to be in by 8am (out at 3:30) and youngest goes in after 8:30 (and gets out at 3)… can’t exactly let a 4-5 year old wait 30 min on his own for school to open…