Anonymous
Post 02/18/2019 10:14     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Move into DC and use the public schools and/or charter system. Your child grows up surrounded by people from all walks of life (unless you live in extreme NW enclaves).
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2019 10:09     Subject: Re:Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our country doesn't care enough about education to make public schools nearly as good as private schools. We live in a country that cares more about money than education, so you have to throw money at a school one way or another: by living in an elite district or by shelling out for private school.

Does that make you mad? Me too. But it's true.


It's not true. There are plenty of excellent school districts with ordinary houses. You don't have to live in an elite district or pay for private.


I'd it if you could please share some. I'll keep an open mind to moving.


Plenty in the Northeast. They are fine here, but nothing stellar.
Anonymous
Post 02/18/2019 09:40     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: Douche bag sons normally have douche bag parents. Or have nannies to play the role of mom and dad.

Secret formula: Dedicate 30 hours per week to being engaged with your kid during daylight hours


Some of the most entitled men I've ever met had mothers that waited on them hand and foot for all hours. The idea that time erases entitlement is laughable.


Agree with this. I love my mom, but she did everything for my younger brother, exactly as my grandmother did for her youngest (and only) son. My brother went to a private, all-boys' school that has been in the news recently and I don't think that helped. He's now married and pushing 40 and my mom still goes over to do his laundry.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 19:58     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
OP— parents, peers... they both matter. Look for a decent public school district in the area where you like the parents and feel like they are raising kids with similar values to your own. Head over to the tween and teen board and look at all the tweens with iPhone drama. Much easier to say no as kids get older if they aren’t the only kid who doesn’t... date at 13, have an iPhone at 10, gett served underage by friends parents, etc. Who are your friends? Where do they love? Is it a decent school district? How do you feel about the parenting style? Look there.

You don’t need to have this figured out now. For the first few years of ES, any school with a good environment and decent academics, public or private, should be fine. Then, get to know your kid and see where your family is. In FCPS, a highly gifted kid might do very well in a TJ feeder zone, while above average with athletic talent would be better at Madison or the Burke area schools.

I tend to think a good public is your answer. But a good public is not good for all kids. Wait and see where your family, and your kid and any future siblings are in 6-8
Years,, then decide. Lots of good schools in this area— public and private. You’ll find on that works.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 15:12     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:Yeesh. Based on your post, OP, I think boarding school is your best bet. Or adoption - anything to limit your influence on him. Otherwise, he's done.


I know you are, but what am I?
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 14:50     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We want our son to get a great education but don't want him to turn into Brett Kavanaugh.

He's only a year old, so I think we have time, (unless we were supposed to start with some elite playgroup when he was a zygote where Ruth Bader Ginsburg reads him Goodnight Moon or something).

We're focused on private schools in MD or DC because don't want to squeeze into Barbie's dream house in order to live in Potomac.

And yes, I know that parental influence is the main factor in my kid not becoming a total douchebag. But school plays a role, too.

Not surprisingly, Google is no help in this matter.


Peer group plays a bigger role than parents.


+100, especially once kids hit puberty. This CAN be one reason for private vs. public, but it depends on so many things. Which private and which public? Is your public kid in all gen ed classes? (And BTW that's okay, despite what DCUM crazies with their "gifted" kids, say and think. Your kid is not doomed for life because they aren't headed to HPYS). Then peer group MAY be a problem. Is your kid going to Georgetown Prep, IMHO, then it MAY be a problem.

I think so much of this answer also depends on your child. My kid goes to private because it is the best place for HIM. He is not SN or LD in anyway, but due to personality, academic learning style and temperment does much better in a smaller, more personalized, less pressure filled, supportive environment. I have nothing against public per se, and if he were a different kid we would consider it. There are pro's and con's to each type of school - public and private. What I don't understand is why all the hate between the 2? Not every private school is right for every kid, nor is public the best place for every kid.

Here is what I can't stand: 1. rich, entitled, snobby private school parents 2. hyper defensive, equally snobby public school parents who assume everyone who sends their kids to private school are doing so because they are elitist.

Model the person you want your kid to become. Pay very very close attention to their peer group as they come into puberty. These two things will make the difference. Public vs. Private - meh.


Parents play a huge role and how you raise them from the start determines their outlook and peer group. Yes, your peer group influences but so do parents and at that age a lot of parents check out and stop parenting which is how the stuff at places like Georgetown Prep happened... parents stopped parenting, kids run wild. Much of that happened outside Georgetown Prep and happened at all schools, including public.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 14:38     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, did you honestly think that you would get a real answer here?
100% of the private school parents believe that their kids are not going to become entitled jerks.
100% of the public school parents (or most of them) think that they kids' education is just fine.

My kids are in public, although we could afford private, and I think there's an argument to be made to NOT give your kids the best education possible. (I've got an Ivy degree, fwiw.)

A third option might be a private school in a low-income area. I think there are some great Catholic schools serving very low income communities that are offering a very good education with kids who probably don't act very entitled at all.




OP here. Ironically, you did give me a real answer, and a good one. Thanks!


It's a good answer but you should ask her how old her kids are.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 13:55     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:OP, did you honestly think that you would get a real answer here?
100% of the private school parents believe that their kids are not going to become entitled jerks.
100% of the public school parents (or most of them) think that they kids' education is just fine.

My kids are in public, although we could afford private, and I think there's an argument to be made to NOT give your kids the best education possible. (I've got an Ivy degree, fwiw.)

A third option might be a private school in a low-income area. I think there are some great Catholic schools serving very low income communities that are offering a very good education with kids who probably don't act very entitled at all.




OP here. Ironically, you did give me a real answer, and a good one. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 12:06     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote: Douche bag sons normally have douche bag parents. Or have nannies to play the role of mom and dad.

Secret formula: Dedicate 30 hours per week to being engaged with your kid during daylight hours


Some of the most entitled men I've ever met had mothers that waited on them hand and foot for all hours. The idea that time erases entitlement is laughable.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 12:00     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
If you don't want him to view himself as wealthy (since he's done nothing himself to earn it ..) or entitled, you have to put him in an environment that isn't entirely wealthy. Public is a lesser affluent area or if private, maybe a religious private schools even if you aren't religious.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 11:01     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We want our son to get a great education but don't want him to turn into Brett Kavanaugh.

He's only a year old, so I think we have time, (unless we were supposed to start with some elite playgroup when he was a zygote where Ruth Bader Ginsburg reads him Goodnight Moon or something).

We're focused on private schools in MD or DC because don't want to squeeze into Barbie's dream house in order to live in Potomac.

And yes, I know that parental influence is the main factor in my kid not becoming a total douchebag. But school plays a role, too.

Not surprisingly, Google is no help in this matter.


Peer group plays a bigger role than parents.


+100, especially once kids hit puberty. This CAN be one reason for private vs. public, but it depends on so many things. Which private and which public? Is your public kid in all gen ed classes? (And BTW that's okay, despite what DCUM crazies with their "gifted" kids, say and think. Your kid is not doomed for life because they aren't headed to HPYS). Then peer group MAY be a problem. Is your kid going to Georgetown Prep, IMHO, then it MAY be a problem.

I think so much of this answer also depends on your child. My kid goes to private because it is the best place for HIM. He is not SN or LD in anyway, but due to personality, academic learning style and temperment does much better in a smaller, more personalized, less pressure filled, supportive environment. I have nothing against public per se, and if he were a different kid we would consider it. There are pro's and con's to each type of school - public and private. What I don't understand is why all the hate between the 2? Not every private school is right for every kid, nor is public the best place for every kid.

Here is what I can't stand: 1. rich, entitled, snobby private school parents 2. hyper defensive, equally snobby public school parents who assume everyone who sends their kids to private school are doing so because they are elitist.

Model the person you want your kid to become. Pay very very close attention to their peer group as they come into puberty. These two things will make the difference. Public vs. Private - meh.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 10:29     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:We want our son to get a great education but don't want him to turn into Brett Kavanaugh.

He's only a year old, so I think we have time, (unless we were supposed to start with some elite playgroup when he was a zygote where Ruth Bader Ginsburg reads him Goodnight Moon or something).

We're focused on private schools in MD or DC because don't want to squeeze into Barbie's dream house in order to live in Potomac.

And yes, I know that parental influence is the main factor in my kid not becoming a total douchebag. But school plays a role, too.

Not surprisingly, Google is no help in this matter.


Peer group plays a bigger role than parents.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 09:49     Subject: Re:Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
As a parent of sons who knew way too many of the kind of boys of which you speak, I agree with OP. What has worked for us is an average, non-affluent MCPS school pyramid with some magnet and AP/IB classes thrown in. My kids have peers who are serious about school but they also know there are more types of people in the world than the typical white/suburban/lacrosse-playing/Jeep-driving prep school crowd. As a bonus, while they may have a little less than the prep school crowd, they feel like they have a lot and are lucky to have it. They will end up at the same colleges as those kids... but those kids will feel ashamed to be there because daddy was really expecting Princeton.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 08:35     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
Anonymous wrote:A lot has to do with your parenting.


Teens learn from each other. They're supposed to, they're designed to.
Anonymous
Post 02/17/2019 08:30     Subject: Where can my kid get a great education without becoming an entitled a##hole?
A lot has to do with your parenting.