Anyone thought they would be more comfortable going public?

[Anonymous]

Private school is an insane waste of money.
Save the money for college. Retirement.
Do not be melancholy. Be thrilled at all the money you are not spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I was pleasantly surprised by our public options. And I deliberately did not tour any privates, because I know our publics can't compete with their lovely buildings and grounds.

+1. Was very very pleasantly surprised by the public options, and also happy about public school demographics. Private school demographics would be a bigger concern to me than the lack of fancy buildings in public school.

[Anonymous]

OP, I understand. However, in our situation we fell in love with some privates, applied and DC did not get in to most of them. So on top of melancholy about not being there we also felt bad about DC being rejected.

At least your public school has to take you!

And in the end, for all the schools with which our DC has been associated, turns out hey all had good and bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In theory I always knew we would most likely have to send our kids to our public school. Its decent...not great but fine for elementary. I did briefly look around at our private options and am now regretting that. I did kind of fall in love with one school but the numbers are barely doable and we have 3 kids total so I don't want to start a pattern I can't finish. I toured our public option recently and just feel kinda bummed. Yes it will be fine, kids will probably love it, regardless they will know no different, etc etc but I just feel a little melancholy.

How about getting a better job so that you can pay for all of your kids to go private? If you can't afford to, that is your fault.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered moving?

[Anonymous]

It depends what you are comparing, OP. If you are looking at the gorgeous facilities and high end marketing material of a great private school as compared to a good public school, then you are being lured by the trimmings. If you are comparing the academic outcomes of a great private school with a middling public school, then it's understandable, but you have other options between $120K/year in tuition and a crappy public school. There are plenty of very good public schools in our area.

[Anonymous]

I know what you mean, OP, but keep perspective. Your kids are going to a school you think they will "probably love". That's more than many parents can say! Practice gratitude. Don't worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

[Anonymous]

"If you are looking at the gorgeous facilities and high end marketing material of a great private school as compared to a good public school, then you are being lured by the trimmings"

This. Your kids aren't going to know the difference between one music class a week vs. two, or a pretty cafeteria vs. a gym cafeteria. If they're with friends and in a happy place, the icing on the cake doesn't matter to them.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked a parochial or jewish schools. They are safe, rigorous, and cheaper. You do not necessarily have to be a member of the faith, but it helps. So does starting when your kids are younger.

[Anonymous]

My kid switched from private to public & is so much happier now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am critical of three kids. This is going to sound harsh but I believe that there are too many people in the world and that we are ruining our environment by having so many kids. American children have a huge carbon footprint.

I understand when people are dying to have two kids and they do so.

But three is just ecologically irresponsible to me.

So, yes, it makes a difference to me that your last two were twins. Would not judge you for that!

So 2 kids = good parent. 3 kids = ecological disaster. I feel sorry for yours, no matter how many you end up with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am critical of three kids. This is going to sound harsh but I believe that there are too many people in the world and that we are ruining our environment by having so many kids. American children have a huge carbon footprint.

I understand when people are dying to have two kids and they do so.

But three is just ecologically irresponsible to me.

So, yes, it makes a difference to me that your last two were twins. Would not judge you for that!

So 2 kids = good parent. 3 kids = ecological disaster. I feel sorry for yours, no matter how many you end up with.

Why? Because I have principles and am willing to challenge the status quo to make the world a better place?

Also, your summary of my opinions is not exactly accurate. A person is not necessarily a good parent just because you have one or two kids. Nor are you necessarily a bad parent if you have three kids. (And nobody's really a bad or good parent, we're all just struggling to do the best we can). However, I do think that people who have three separate pregnancies and live births of healthy children are thinking more about themselves and what they (or their families) want than they are thinking about the future of our planet. It's a bit ecologically irresponsible IMO....unless they individually have ways to live with a very low carbon footprint and their children contribute to lowering their carbon footprint. That seems unusual, though, in our society....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am critical of three kids. This is going to sound harsh but I believe that there are too many people in the world and that we are ruining our environment by having so many kids. American children have a huge carbon footprint.

I understand when people are dying to have two kids and they do so.

But three is just ecologically irresponsible to me.

So, yes, it makes a difference to me that your last two were twins. Would not judge you for that!

So 2 kids = good parent. 3 kids = ecological disaster. I feel sorry for yours, no matter how many you end up with.

Why? Because I have principles and am willing to challenge the status quo to make the world a better place?

Also, your summary of my opinions is not exactly accurate. A person is not necessarily a good parent just because you have one or two kids. Nor are you necessarily a bad parent if you have three kids. (And nobody's really a bad or good parent, we're all just struggling to do the best we can). However, I do think that people who have three separate pregnancies and live births of healthy children are thinking more about themselves and what they (or their families) want than they are thinking about the future of our planet. It's a bit ecologically irresponsible IMO....unless they individually have ways to live with a very low carbon footprint and their children contribute to lowering their carbon footprint. That seems unusual, though, in our society....

Your use of DCUM unnecessarily increases your carbon footprint, and I find your irresponsibility hypocritical.

[Anonymous]

OP- our child has made it to the private school of our choice ( only choice). After much debate, we are going with our public school. DC is our only child and money is not a problem but- lack of diversity, definition of whats normal and whats not ( in terms of financial status of people, vacations etc) and peer pressure regarding lot of things not connected to academics is what made us decide against it. What you found depressing is actually the ground reality !! Also, children dont care for fancy gym and cafeterias. If you have good public schools in your area, private can wait until high school ( if you must).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am critical of three kids. This is going to sound harsh but I believe that there are too many people in the world and that we are ruining our environment by having so many kids. American children have a huge carbon footprint.

I understand when people are dying to have two kids and they do so.

But three is just ecologically irresponsible to me.

So, yes, it makes a difference to me that your last two were twins. Would not judge you for that!

So 2 kids = good parent. 3 kids = ecological disaster. I feel sorry for yours, no matter how many you end up with.

... or you could look at it in a less narcissistic way -- 3 > 2 is %50 more contributing to finding workable long term solutions for the planet.