New Independent School Parent

[Anonymous]

PP ... that is a fair question and the answer is different for everyone. I do sometimes get tired of how many school functions are held, as I already have a social life outside of the school. It is my CHILD's school, not mine!!

Nonetheless, one of the big reasons people do select a private school is for the community that comes with it. I think the kids get a lot of support for the idea that school is important when their parents are involved and present on campus. And it is useful to really know something about the kids and their families as well as how the school functions, which teachers are the best, and so forth. Not essential, but helpful ... and the friendly, welcoming community cannot develop if no one makes at least some effort to act accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: One of the most important reasons is that some day when your child is a teenager he may want to go to someone's house where there is no supervision and do God-knows-what and you will have no clue what's going on because you don't know the parents.

Lets not be neurotic. Surely the private school price tag includes teaching in how to use your own head.
So why worry?

What will knowing the parents change?

[Anonymous]

PP ... I think knowing the parents makes a huge difference. For one thing, if the parents are friends or at least know each other and occassionally talk, then kids know that their "stories" are more likely to be exposed. And knowing parents gives you some idea of whether a party is likely to be supervised, a keg is likely to be purchased by the parents, guns are in the house, and other intangibles. This sounds hyper-paranoid, I know, but ....

Most important to me is that nice parents tend to have nice kids ... and of course, the reverse.

[Anonymous]

Back in the day. I remember one story that got exposed. A kid claimed that the prom costed $20 more than the actual price, and he fooled his parents into paying for his dates prom as well. She had already paid her own ticket.

And she found this out thru other parents.

Sorry, nice parents tend to be uninformed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day. I remember one story that got exposed. A kid claimed that the prom costed $20 more than the actual price, and he fooled his parents into paying for his dates prom as well. She had already paid her own ticket.

And she found this out thru other parents.

Sorry, nice parents tend to be uninformed.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: One of the most important reasons is that some day when your child is a teenager he may want to go to someone's house where there is no supervision and do God-knows-what and you will have no clue what's going on because you don't know the parents.

Lets not be neurotic. Surely the private school price tag includes teaching in how to use your own head.
So why worry?

What will knowing the parents change?

Are you absolutely kidding?? Going over to a friend's house without mom or dad doesn't begin in high school. It starts in elementary. Sleepovers anyone? Carpools? Afterschool playdates? You better believe I want to know the parents of my kids' friends. And yes, by the time they get to high school and they want to hang at someone's house without supervision, all the parents need to be on board with that. I love that in our school, there are many sets of eyes watching over the kids. The parents, the teachers, the staff -- they all know the kids by name. My kids are safe, and they know they need to behave or there will be consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there are many sets of eyes watching over the kids.

Many sets of eyes. Everyone thinks they know but know that they do not know.
You are very uninformed.
But you fond a way to feel secure and informed.

It does not depend on just you. a lot depends on the kid as well.

[Anonymous]

Wow, this is such a helpful post. Thank you very much.