s/o what would you change about your kids' childhood if money were no object?

[Anonymous]

I'd keep my job and house in NE DC because I like them, and stick with our high-performing charter through graduation, but do much higher quality summer programming and spend more on outside activities. Not more time, but higher quality. And probably hire and afterschool sitter/driver to manage those activities.

I'd have the cleaning lady weekly instead of every other week. Yard service too, handyman, basically things that buy me some of my time back.

[Anonymous]

I will quit my job and we will spend every summer in Asia where my parents live.

[Anonymous]

1. Private school starting in Kindergarten. I taught in both public and private. The difference was astounding.

2. A single family home with a yard. We are really hurting for a yard right now.

3. Part-time nanny so I don’t have to use low-quality gym daycare, or wake up the baby to do preschool pickups.

4. Montessori preschool.

5. Pay a professional to potty train my kids. That nearly broke me.

6. Piano lessons. skid keeps asking, but we can’t swing it.

7. Classes in another language.

8. Swim team and a pool membership.

9. Fancy summer camps.

[Anonymous]

Another one for private school. Feel bad about moving to MCPS ‘for the schools.’ Total scam. They have been dreadful in W cluster. Otherwise kids have it better than wife and I. Hope to help grandkids avoid public school.

[Anonymous]

Money is no object for us. What we spend it on:

An au pair to reduce stress (she only works 15-20 hours a week)
Private schools
A waterfront home in Anne Arundel county (which means big commuting expenses to raise them outside the “swamp”)
Piano lessons
Private sports lessons
Long trips to relatives on the west coast accompanied by au pair

[Anonymous]

Pony pony pony

[Anonymous]

We bought a waterfront home in fauquier county. It has been simply spectacular. Bike paths, nice yard, amazing watching nature. Children have a wonderful life.

[Anonymous]

Money is no concern but I was a trailing spouse to an asshole and divorced him but am stuck 2000 miles from family. I’d live near my amazing family who adores my children. Being a single mom far from support is crushingly lonely and hard.

[Anonymous]

I echo the above: private school and educated nanny over daycare.

[Anonymous]

Summer home and winter condo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We made financial sacrifices for us to spend more time with our kids, and no I wouldn't change that for more money. We are comfortable and relaxed. We're very lucky, though by the lifestyles of some of DC's peers, we are "doing without". I see the stress on parents' faces at pick up on days where there's no aftercare, though, and I feel justified. I feel bad that so many of them don't think they can jump off the hamster wheel.

You may have given up more than money....people may be working demanding jobs for reasons other than money. Just because someone is stressed when the afternoon schedule changes doesn’t mean they have regrets. They may feel justified about their choices when they do something meaningful or significant and feel bad that you don’t have the opportunity to do those things, given the choices you have made.

[Anonymous]

Private school. The school district we’re in is REALLY bad. Probably one of the worst in the country.

We could do private school, but DC’s dad refuses because he wants to punish me for divorcing him. Always tells me “it really sucks DC will get a shitty education, guess you shouldn’t have left me”.

Actually, let me change mine. I’d use that money to hire a good attorney and pay off xH to give up custody.

[Anonymous]

We would travel more extensively.