What neighborhoods are best for kids?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

Sure, there was plenty of wealth and privilege at my middle school (Westland) but it was nothing compared to my GDS teammates. It was WILDLY different. One small example is team dinners. We had a few of them and usually it was spaghetti or pizza. When any of the GDS families hosted, it was a lavishly catered meal.

I just don’t believe you, sorry. I attended both schools. It’s the same families. I was the same in both places, so were the other kids who went to both schools, and there were plenty of families wealthier than mine in both schools. I also ate a lot of pizza at GDS sports team events.

DP. It’s not the wealth, there is plenty of money in MCPS. I think it is the exclusivity and entitlement at private schools that is different. We did both and the personalities and attitudes just aren’t the same. Maybe for some it’s not so obvious, but we could tell the difference in our kids and their friends pretty quick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

Sure, there was plenty of wealth and privilege at my middle school (Westland) but it was nothing compared to my GDS teammates. It was WILDLY different. One small example is team dinners. We had a few of them and usually it was spaghetti or pizza. When any of the GDS families hosted, it was a lavishly catered meal.

I just don’t believe you, sorry. I attended both schools. It’s the same families. I was the same in both places, so were the other kids who went to both schools, and there were plenty of families wealthier than mine in both schools. I also ate a lot of pizza at GDS sports team events.

DP. It’s not the wealth, there is plenty of money in MCPS. I think it is the exclusivity and entitlement at private schools that is different. We did both and the personalities and attitudes just aren’t the same. Maybe for some it’s not so obvious, but we could tell the difference in our kids and their friends pretty quick.

Exclusivity and entitlement to what, though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

How long ago did you go? Tuition at GDS is $50k and of course those parents are also planning to pay $80-90k for college.

I just don’t believe the level of wealth is the same and the parents all have the same jobs. The math just doesn’t make sense. Plus in my experience the majority of Big Law partners I know send their kids to private school while the large majority of government lawyers send their kids to public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

Sure, there was plenty of wealth and privilege at my middle school (Westland) but it was nothing compared to my GDS teammates. It was WILDLY different. One small example is team dinners. We had a few of them and usually it was spaghetti or pizza. When any of the GDS families hosted, it was a lavishly catered meal.

I just don’t believe you, sorry. I attended both schools. It’s the same families. I was the same in both places, so were the other kids who went to both schools, and there were plenty of families wealthier than mine in both schools. I also ate a lot of pizza at GDS sports team events.

DP. It’s not the wealth, there is plenty of money in MCPS. I think it is the exclusivity and entitlement at private schools that is different. We did both and the personalities and attitudes just aren’t the same. Maybe for some it’s not so obvious, but we could tell the difference in our kids and their friends pretty quick.

Exclusivity and entitlement to what, though?

To absolutely anything and everything possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

How long ago did you go? Tuition at GDS is $50k and of course those parents are also planning to pay $80-90k for college.

I just don’t believe the level of wealth is the same and the parents all have the same jobs. The math just doesn’t make sense. Plus in my experience the majority of Big Law partners I know send their kids to private school while the large majority of government lawyers send their kids to public school.

I agree. There’s tons of wealth at the public schools but it’s really nothing compared to the money as private schools like GDS.

[Anonymous]

If you don't see the bubble, it's because you're in it.

[Anonymous]

Westbrook elementary - neighborhoods around Somerset and somewhat cheaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase, DC

fails the "not so wealthy that the kids are irretrievably warped? "

I'm biased because I live there now, but most of CCDC is not the kind of wealth that results in totally out of touch kids - particularly if you send the kids to public school. The houses are expensive for what they are, but the housing stock is largely 3-4 bedroom, 2000ish sqft old builds. Some of the houses between Connecticut and Chevy Chase Blvd are bigger than that, but even still we're not talking about mansions. It largely is a UMC vibe. But schools are a huge driver of how your kids perceive wealth. Living in CCDC and sending your kids to, say, Sidwell will result in a very different outlook than a kid who goes to Lafayette/Deal/JR.

I grew up here and I went on more than one date where someone odious mansplained to me how having gone to Wilson kept them “grounded” compared to private school peers and it was sort of awful every time tbh.

Why awful? Tends to be true.

I can’t believe I have to explain this but it’s because living in CCDC and going to Wilson and living in CCDC and going to Sidwell are both very privileged upbringings with far more similarities than differences? And so it’s really gross to sit there as a young, debt free lawyer or whatever pretending that because you went to Wilson, you had a really gritty childhood? But some kids really internalize that and sort of won’t shut up about it. It’s bad to grow up in a bubble but it might be worse to grow up in a bubble but believe you didn’t.

Totally disagree. There is a very different value system in private schools versus public and school is much more influential than your neighborhood. I’m sure they weren’t all saying they had a gritty childhood, but no doubt Wilson helped keep them grounded.

I went to MCPS and GDS and I totally disagree. The kids are mostly the same, especially the ones with comparable family wealth. It’s not a different world, at least not DC day schools. It’s pretty similar.

This is fascinating to me. I went to MCPS schools but played on a soccer team with kids from GDS in middle school. I was shocked by the amount of wealth and privilege. To my middle school self, it very much was a different world!

I mean, maybe you had a particularly bad draw but seriously, there weren’t any wealthy and entitled kids in your middle school? I didn’t see a lot of difference between BBC and GDS. The kids are all from the same neighborhoods, their parents have the same jobs, they go to the same colleges and play on the same club teams. How different can it be? 9th is a big entry year for GDS, or was, so maybe that made a difference.

How long ago did you go? Tuition at GDS is $50k and of course those parents are also planning to pay $80-90k for college.

I just don’t believe the level of wealth is the same and the parents all have the same jobs. The math just doesn’t make sense. Plus in my experience the majority of Big Law partners I know send their kids to private school while the large majority of government lawyers send their kids to public school.

I agree. There’s tons of wealth at the public schools but it’s really nothing compared to the money as private schools like GDS.

Obviously. I don't know why people need to pretend otherwise? The kids at top privates ALSO live in very expensive homes/neighborhoods - clearly their families can afford the big tuitions on top of their house, cars, lots of vacations, etc. It's absolutely a different vibe.

I actually find someone who can't recognize that to be most insufferable of all. Just own that you're living in a different world!