Would you switch a happy thriving kid from public?

[Anonymous]

I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

Umm.. How would he know any different. You need to make this decision for him/her/them. Go private if you can get into one that is a nice fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

What does the last line have to do with anything?

I'm curious, what made you decide to go the public school route to begin with, since most of his preschool classmates went to private ones and money is not an issue? Has anything changed with that consideration?

My niece went to private k-12 b/c the publics in her area do not provide a good education. My best friend pulled her son out of private for public when he showed learning disabilities and the private is too small to offer meaningful help. The public school is actually better funded for students needing additional resources.

So it really depends.

[Anonymous]

No— if public school is meeting his needs I would not disrupt his education/life just because there is a more expensive/exclusive option.

[Anonymous]

No. Private is not necessarily better than public for a kid who is happy, learning, and making friends. You can reevaluate when it's time for middle school.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely no. The goal (hopefully) of parents in choosing a school for their child is a child who is happy and doing well in school. You already have that. Congratulations. Keep an eye on things over the years, and if at some point that changes (he’s not learning, he’s not challenged, there is bullying and the school won’t address it, etc.) you can reevaluate your options. But don’t move a happy, thriving kid just to keep up with the neighbors (or preschool classmates.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No— if public school is meeting his needs I would not disrupt his education/life just because there is a more expensive/exclusive option.

+1 One of the things we all have to come to terms with as parents is that each kid is different and that "optimal" for one kid is not for another.

If your child is happy and thriving, I wouldn't mess with it until/unless you need to. I moved my youngest to public for a specific opportunity that was not available at his independent, and keep thinking I might need to move him back, but it keeps working out. It takes a little more attention, since I can't just let him flow from one school to the next, but it's working.

[Anonymous]

What do “famous parents” have to do with anything? Suggests you’re more interested in status-humping than in your kid.

[Anonymous]

Post-covid, yes. Our private school handled it much better than our local publics.

[Anonymous]

No. I would not move my kid in that circumstance. You should have a legitimate reason to take a child out of a stable, good situation. And you can always re-assess each year based on his needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

You gave away your actual concern in the last sentence. This isn't about the best education for your kid, but whether you think he'll be missing out not to hobnob with the children of wealthier parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Post-covid, yes. Our private school handled it much better than our local publics.

Are you expecting another pandemic soon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Post-covid, yes. Our private school handled it much better than our local publics.

Are you expecting another pandemic soon?

Wasn't expecting that one, so yes, I would rather my kids be in the appropriate place if it happens again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

WTH is wrong with you?
Get parenting classes who gives a shit if your children had famous parents in their school LOL.

Focus on your own kid.
Private does not mean a better education full stop.

I say this as a person whose world is that 1% and "famous" LOL

Please get parenting help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an elementary child who is perfectly happy and content at the local public. He has a lot of friends, is doing well in school and seems to be getting everything he needs from the local school. He attended a preschool that is a private school feeder so most of his former preschool classmates are attending various private schools in the DMV. We can easily afford private school. I can’t help but feel we are somehow hurting our child by sending him to public by not providing the best education we can give to him. He is the type of kid who would do well anywhere. He was very well liked in preschool and had is also well liked now in public. Our preschool had children of famous parents.

What does the last line have to do with anything?

I'm curious, what made you decide to go the public school route to begin with, since most of his preschool classmates went to private ones and money is not an issue? Has anything changed with that consideration?

My niece went to private k-12 b/c the publics in her area do not provide a good education. My best friend pulled her son out of private for public when he showed learning disabilities and the private is too small to offer meaningful help. The public school is actually better funded for students needing additional resources.

So it really depends.

We attended this preschool because it was close to our house and convenient, not for prestige. When we got there, we encountered some famous families. We never applied to any private schools when everyone else was because we are zoned for a really good public school district.