Anyone else who never resolved their issues about private school and is just going forward because the timer went off?

[Anonymous]

I have really mixed feelings about private school. We can afford it, but I’m worried it’s not the best choice for our kids because I really believe in the importance of public schools and the power of succeeding in an environment where you’re not coddled. I think our neurotypical kid could probably do that. But where we live, switching to non-religious private school in upper elementary is hard. And that’s right when, anecdotally, satisfaction with the local public schools seems to plummet. So I’m also worried about ending up stuck or having to move during a sensitive social moment.

So I didn’t resolve any of those issues and now we’re just plowing ahead with private school. But I have no one to talk to about this irl, because being able to afford private school is obviously a huge privilege and a touchy subject. So is moving to a more expensive neighborhood for access to more uniformly affluent public schools that seem better managed.

It felt like I had so much time to figure this out and then bam, we’ve signed and it’s all in motion.

Anyway I know this is a caviar problem because of the money, but it is still hard.

[Anonymous]

This is me to a tee. My younger was admitted to 1 of the 3 schools he applied to for K, waitlisted at other 2. My older is in elementary at our local public and having a pretty good experience. We love local community too. I’d love to enroll my younger in public and stay put for both through, ideally, 5th grade and switch for middle school— but am reluctant to turn down the private school spot and not having a door open when I’m ready.

[Anonymous]

I get it. We moved to what we thought was a "good" school district and sent our oldest to public elementary. We were very disappointed. Some of the problems were school and teacher specific, but others were at the district level. We switched him to a lovely private elementary. Now, fast forward a few years, and we have three at that private school and we just completed the US application process for the oldest. Kid got into a fine US that I think he will enjoy, but is not any better than a good public school.

We are looking at almost $2M more dollars for private school before the youngest is finished. We can afford this, but it kind of seems crazy. We definitely can't go back to the public where we live - it has declined even further since we left and many of our neighbors are trying to leave now. I want to move out-of-state to a place with better public schools, but starting everything over seems daunting. We have a great house and many friends. We both have jobs we love. But, both our jobs are portable, so we could move without a huge loss of income. It seems like a lot to give up to save the tuition and the schools are very nice. Just, not the path we planned on and inertia is hard to fight against.

[Anonymous]

What is best for your child OP? What environment will suit the needs and growth opportunities the best. You said you can afford it, so if the answer is private school* then there you go. Or the answer might be public.

I would absolutely not do private because it’s “what’s done.” Though we are in private we have many friends in public who are doing well. It really depends on your child.

*also we do private for *a* specific school. We moved mostly for social reasons, and I do think other privates would actually have been worse than public.

[Anonymous]

If you want your cherub to have experiences outside a comfortable school surrounding, have them get a part time job. They will meet with and have to get along with all sorts of people, coworkers and customers. And have their own Starbucks and gas money to boot.

[Anonymous]

So you're at the Kindergarten stage? Don't worry about it. You can switch kids at nearly any age.

You may move before your kid starts middle school.

All of American education is in crisis right now. Choose the life raft that suits you.

[Anonymous]

There is literally nothing I would rather spend my hard earned money on than the best education my kids can get. (Note this doesn’t necessarily mean the most prestigious—we are a Catholic School family.)

[Anonymous]

What do you mean, switching is hard?

I moved to a different country every 4 years as a kid, and had to switch schools until high school. Some of them were religious, some of them were secular. My parents just picked what they thought would be the most academically-rigorous in their area.

You seem to have an extremely fragile mindset, OP. This is going to hurt your kids in the long run.

[Anonymous]

I pulled my DC from public to private for middle school. I wish I had done it sooner, but I had similar hangups. At that time, I didn't know anyone who had sent their kids to private but I knee my DC was slipping through the cracks. We did it and I felt nervous about it for some time. Now I know we made the right choice.

[Anonymous]

Do private schools take kids in 7th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do private schools take kids in 7th?

7th is an expansion year for many

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do private schools take kids in 7th?

7th is an expansion year for many

Which ones?

[Anonymous]

Yes. But my worry is actually that public school tends to ramp us right when we are leaving. G/T and some amount of leveling beginning in 4th-5th and we will be leaving to make the most of 3rd grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean, switching is hard?

I moved to a different country every 4 years as a kid, and had to switch schools until high school. Some of them were religious, some of them were secular. My parents just picked what they thought would be the most academically-rigorous in their area.

You seem to have an extremely fragile mindset, OP. This is going to hurt your kids in the long run.

Because there aren’t unlimited seats available, a-hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have really mixed feelings about private school. We can afford it, but I’m worried it’s not the best choice for our kids because I really believe in the importance of public schools and the power of succeeding in an environment where you’re not coddled. I think our neurotypical kid could probably do that. But where we live, switching to non-religious private school in upper elementary is hard. And that’s right when, anecdotally, satisfaction with the local public schools seems to plummet. So I’m also worried about ending up stuck or having to move during a sensitive social moment.

So I didn’t resolve any of those issues and now we’re just plowing ahead with private school. But I have no one to talk to about this irl, because being able to afford private school is obviously a huge privilege and a touchy subject. So is moving to a more expensive neighborhood for access to more uniformly affluent public schools that seem better managed.

It felt like I had so much time to figure this out and then bam, we’ve signed and it’s all in motion.

Anyway I know this is a caviar problem because of the money, but it is still hard.

I think you did the right thing OP, because I think fundamentally, you believe that a private school education is better. Therefore, if you waited and then couldn’t get in, you probably would always regret it.