Starting private parochial school - feel weird telling friends/neighbors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in an area where most of our friends and neighbors go to our local public school, at least for elementary school. We have had mixed feelings about the school since COVID (started kindergarten during covid) and have decided to move our two older children to our local parochial school. I feel weird telling our neighbors/friends because I don't want them to think we have bad feelings toward our public school, it just isn't a good fit for our kids right now. Also DH and I are big proponents of public school, both of us going to public school before college, and are having mixed feelings about having to send our kids to private school. Any thoughts on how to reconcile these feelings?

Grow up.
No one cares where your kid goes to school.
If you want to waste your money that is your business. You want your kid going to a religious private where Science and math are of lower quality than public, especially in upper grades, and teaches a religion that supports a church that protects child abusers. Again your choice. And you give money to a place that has Billions in the bank. Again all free choices your free choices currently in the United States of America.

I gotta say the anti-Catholic bashing on this board is out of control.
-not a Catholic

I was raised catholic. I have every right to bash it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t judge families for sending their kids to privates when they need special support, at all. When parents tell me their kids “needs” private because they’re just too smart for public, I roll my eyes internally.

It’s not one or the other. If people can afford it, some private schools offer things that are just not available to public schools (especially in elementary and middle school).
Also, most kids in private do not need special support (nor are they super smart).

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m not sure why you’re getting so much hate. I totally get why it’s awkward with the neighbors, but truly any reasonable person will understand and have a “live and let live” attitude. There’s unreasonable vitriol coming out in this thread against parochial schools, mostly from independent school parents who need to justify their $50k tuitions by exclaiming that parochial is not “real” private school and is “so cheap.” They don’t want to do the Catholic thing, which is completely fine, but instead of owning that as the reason, they trash Catholic schools as if they are providing a subpar education compared to their overpriced secular schools. The fact is, while the facilities may not be as shiny at parochial schools, in general the well-regarded parochials probably provide the best education available, and kids come out of those schools with extremely strong academic skills, writing ability, work ethic, and social skills. You will love the benefits, enjoy it and work to maintain relationships in the community through sports, neighborhood gatherings, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m not sure why you’re getting so much hate. I totally get why it’s awkward with the neighbors, but truly any reasonable person will understand and have a “live and let live” attitude. There’s unreasonable vitriol coming out in this thread against parochial schools, mostly from independent school parents who need to justify their $50k tuitions by exclaiming that parochial is not “real” private school and is “so cheap.” They don’t want to do the Catholic thing, which is completely fine, but instead of owning that as the reason, they trash Catholic schools as if they are providing a subpar education compared to their overpriced secular schools. The fact is, while the facilities may not be as shiny at parochial schools, in general the well-regarded parochials probably provide the best education available, and kids come out of those schools with extremely strong academic skills, writing ability, work ethic, and social skills. You will love the benefits, enjoy it and work to maintain relationships in the community through sports, neighborhood gatherings, etc.

This conclusion is based on what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m not sure why you’re getting so much hate. I totally get why it’s awkward with the neighbors, but truly any reasonable person will understand and have a “live and let live” attitude. There’s unreasonable vitriol coming out in this thread against parochial schools, mostly from independent school parents who need to justify their $50k tuitions by exclaiming that parochial is not “real” private school and is “so cheap.” They don’t want to do the Catholic thing, which is completely fine, but instead of owning that as the reason, they trash Catholic schools as if they are providing a subpar education compared to their overpriced secular schools. The fact is, while the facilities may not be as shiny at parochial schools, in general the well-regarded parochials probably provide the best education available, and kids come out of those schools with extremely strong academic skills, writing ability, work ethic, and social skills. You will love the benefits, enjoy it and work to maintain relationships in the community through sports, neighborhood gatherings, etc.

Op is getting hate because she is not being straightforward about what she is doing. Most people dislike when others lack honesty and authenticity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in an area where most of our friends and neighbors go to our local public school, at least for elementary school. We have had mixed feelings about the school since COVID (started kindergarten during covid) and have decided to move our two older children to our local parochial school. I feel weird telling our neighbors/friends because I don't want them to think we have bad feelings toward our public school, it just isn't a good fit for our kids right now. Also DH and I are big proponents of public school, both of us going to public school before college, and are having mixed feelings about having to send our kids to private school. Any thoughts on how to reconcile these feelings?

Grow up.
No one cares where your kid goes to school.
If you want to waste your money that is your business. You want your kid going to a religious private where Science and math are of lower quality than public, especially in upper grades, and teaches a religion that supports a church that protects child abusers. Again your choice. And you give money to a place that has Billions in the bank. Again all free choices your free choices currently in the United States of America.

I gotta say the anti-Catholic bashing on this board is out of control.
-not a Catholic

I was raised catholic. I have every right to bash it.

I grew up attending Catholic schools and there’s no amount of Catholic bashing that’s too much, IMO.

Shoutout to my chill Protestant homies

[Anonymous]

We generally do not kniw the private school families well. They are not at the bus stop or school events. You will probably find a new crowd and drift away from the old group.

[Anonymous]

Be honest but brief. I think you would do well to state something you preferred about the parochial school (or that wasn’t working for your child in public), but obviously there’s no need to bash the school you’re leaving.

My child is in public K this year but we are considering a change for the year after next, so I’ve thought about this too. In my case I have some specific concerns about how my second child will do with public K and feel the smaller class size may be really important for him. Of course it’s more than that, but if you give a real reason you don’t need to go in depth imho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in an area where most of our friends and neighbors go to our local public school, at least for elementary school. We have had mixed feelings about the school since COVID (started kindergarten during covid) and have decided to move our two older children to our local parochial school. I feel weird telling our neighbors/friends because I don't want them to think we have bad feelings toward our public school, it just isn't a good fit for our kids right now. Also DH and I are big proponents of public school, both of us going to public school before college, and are having mixed feelings about having to send our kids to private school. Any thoughts on how to reconcile these feelings?

Grow up.
No one cares where your kid goes to school.
If you want to waste your money that is your business. You want your kid going to a religious private where Science and math are of lower quality than public, especially in upper grades, and teaches a religion that supports a church that protects child abusers. Again your choice. And you give money to a place that has Billions in the bank. Again all free choices your free choices currently in the United States of America.

I gotta say the anti-Catholic bashing on this board is out of control.
-not a Catholic

Agree. How is it that you can bash Catholics but if you say one thing against a Jewish school … you are doxed
What an annoying double standard

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in an area where most of our friends and neighbors go to our local public school, at least for elementary school. We have had mixed feelings about the school since COVID (started kindergarten during covid) and have decided to move our two older children to our local parochial school. I feel weird telling our neighbors/friends because I don't want them to think we have bad feelings toward our public school, it just isn't a good fit for our kids right now. Also DH and I are big proponents of public school, both of us going to public school before college, and are having mixed feelings about having to send our kids to private school. Any thoughts on how to reconcile these feelings?

Grow up.
No one cares where your kid goes to school.
If you want to waste your money that is your business. You want your kid going to a religious private where Science and math are of lower quality than public, especially in upper grades, and teaches a religion that supports a church that protects child abusers. Again your choice. And you give money to a place that has Billions in the bank. Again all free choices your free choices currently in the United States of America.

I gotta say the anti-Catholic bashing on this board is out of control.
-not a Catholic

Agree. How is it that you can bash Catholics but if you say one thing against a Jewish school … you are doxed
What an annoying double standard

Or anything anti-Jewish you have a scarlet letter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m not sure why you’re getting so much hate. I totally get why it’s awkward with the neighbors, but truly any reasonable person will understand and have a “live and let live” attitude. There’s unreasonable vitriol coming out in this thread against parochial schools, mostly from independent school parents who need to justify their $50k tuitions by exclaiming that parochial is not “real” private school and is “so cheap.” They don’t want to do the Catholic thing, which is completely fine, but instead of owning that as the reason, they trash Catholic schools as if they are providing a subpar education compared to their overpriced secular schools. The fact is, while the facilities may not be as shiny at parochial schools, in general the well-regarded parochials probably provide the best education available, and kids come out of those schools with extremely strong academic skills, writing ability, work ethic, and social skills. You will love the benefits, enjoy it and work to maintain relationships in the community through sports, neighborhood gatherings, etc.

^ this.
I hate the school bashing on this thread. Facts are welcomed. Opinions are not

[Anonymous]

We are not Catholic yet LOVE our parochial school and so does our kid. OP you will love it! Don’t look back!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m going on a deep dive. A book that changed my life was reading “ The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing” by Bronnie Ware.
The first regret the dying have is: “ I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me”
So when it comes to schools, do what feels best for your family, your values and for your child. Be upfront if people ask and you can say that you are excited to try a faith based education.
Be courageous and live your life!
When we all eventually will die, I sure am not going to care what my neighbor thought of me sending my kid to Catholic school!
For context, we are sending our DS to Catholic school (and our elementary is Churchill in Mclean) and we are excited but yes awaiting all the questions but this is our life and I don’t want to have regrets!
Hope this helps!

^ just live your values no regrets. Let others live their own values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend moved her kids to private and made the whole thing weird by being super squirrelly about it. When she finally came out with her “secret” she gave all these reasons for moving her kids. I couldn’t possibly have cared less why she was moving them and I definitely didn’t need a breathless explanation. It was almost like she was assuming I’d be jealous or something? I don’t know. I wish she’d just said way earlier “Hey, we decided to move the boys to X! Seems like a good fit for them.” And I would have said “Awesome, I’ll miss seeing you guys at school but I’m sure X is going to be great.” The end. TL/DR: It’s only weird if you make it weird. No one cares.

Same thing here except it was my kid’s best friend who moved to private and the family kept it hush hush until the very last minute. It was very hard on my kid who was expecting their best friend to continue on with them to the next grade and at the last minute got the rug pulled out from under them. I wish they had been up front with us sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in an area where most of our friends and neighbors go to our local public school, at least for elementary school. We have had mixed feelings about the school since COVID (started kindergarten during covid) and have decided to move our two older children to our local parochial school. I feel weird telling our neighbors/friends because I don't want them to think we have bad feelings toward our public school, it just isn't a good fit for our kids right now. Also DH and I are big proponents of public school, both of us going to public school before college, and are having mixed feelings about having to send our kids to private school. Any thoughts on how to reconcile these feelings?

Grow up.
No one cares where your kid goes to school.
If you want to waste your money that is your business. You want your kid going to a religious private where Science and math are of lower quality than public, especially in upper grades, and teaches a religion that supports a church that protects child abusers. Again your choice. And you give money to a place that has Billions in the bank. Again all free choices your free choices currently in the United States of America.

I gotta say the anti-Catholic bashing on this board is out of control.
-not a Catholic

I was raised catholic. I have every right to bash it.

I grew up attending Catholic schools and there’s no amount of Catholic bashing that’s too much, IMO.

Shoutout to my chill Protestant homies

LOL. Can we be friends?