Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd invest the money instead. Each kids would have 3-5 million by the time the are 30. Instead, their parents paid for private school and expect them to have great careers. What a pressure on the kids.

What are you talking about $200k invested for 15 years only gets to $750k

Even 25 years only gets to $1.7M at 8% return which is crazy optimistic.

People with elite educations on this board pull in $700k/year, vs public school strivers who land a GS15 at $176k.

Yeah it’s a lot of pressure, but the world is turning into a tale of two cities. Places like Montana are expensive now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some houses for sale in the Longfellow MS draw area that are less that 1.6 for a 4 bedroom. I thought my DS's gifted education at Longfellow was excellent (especially in Math). It's not that far from Capital Hill especially if your DH and you are commuting together (can take 66 for free).

I looked at those houses, and every one is on a busy road or backs to a freeway or are a teardown.

Wow, for Mclean high school, even under $2M you have the same problem OR it's an obvious flip.

What?! There are plenty of houses in the McLean district under $2M that aren't flips, teardowns or on a freeway

Please post, I literally just looked

Anonymous wrote:You definitely can’t afford it, you make no mention of retirement, investments, or savings. Seems you’re living beyond your means in several areas. If you take another job you could swing it or move somewhere that a house payment doesn’t cost $5100

Anonymous wrote:As for schools, there is no perfect school, but unless you are in TN or AL, your public school is going to be just fine if your kids are reasonably studious and you stay engaged as a parent. My kid did private preK-8 and is now at a MCPS magnet and doing wonderfully. Thinking about college and maybe law school. She has some terrific teachers and a solid group of friends. She is actually happier at her public, though that may have more to do with her age (adolescence/middle school is rough!) She has opportunities at her public she would not have at private and has developed good connections with a few of her teachers. Yes, she has some dud teachers, but she did at private school as well. Your kids' success depends mostly on you, not the school they go to. Having money helps...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some houses for sale in the Longfellow MS draw area that are less that 1.6 for a 4 bedroom. I thought my DS's gifted education at Longfellow was excellent (especially in Math). It's not that far from Capital Hill especially if your DH and you are commuting together (can take 66 for free).

I looked at those houses, and every one is on a busy road or backs to a freeway or are a teardown.

Wow, for Mclean high school, even under $2M you have the same problem OR it's an obvious flip.

What?! There are plenty of houses in the McLean district under $2M that aren't flips, teardowns or on a freeway

Please post, I literally just looked

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some houses for sale in the Longfellow MS draw area that are less that 1.6 for a 4 bedroom. I thought my DS's gifted education at Longfellow was excellent (especially in Math). It's not that far from Capital Hill especially if your DH and you are commuting together (can take 66 for free).

I looked at those houses, and every one is on a busy road or backs to a freeway or are a teardown.

Wow, for Mclean high school, even under $2M you have the same problem OR it's an obvious flip.

What?! There are plenty of houses in the McLean district under $2M that aren't flips, teardowns or on a freeway

Please post, I literally just looked

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some houses for sale in the Longfellow MS draw area that are less that 1.6 for a 4 bedroom. I thought my DS's gifted education at Longfellow was excellent (especially in Math). It's not that far from Capital Hill especially if your DH and you are commuting together (can take 66 for free).

I looked at those houses, and every one is on a busy road or backs to a freeway or are a teardown.

Wow, for Mclean high school, even under $2M you have the same problem OR it's an obvious flip.

What?! There are plenty of houses in the McLean district under $2M that aren't flips, teardowns or on a freeway

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are running up against the unfortunate reality that you can't afford everything, even if they're all good things. And it sucks and it's not fair, but it is what it is.

I suspect most on here planning to put three kids through private school do indeed make more than you or gets financial support from family (usually grandparents) or financial aid.

Those at your income level have often made significant trade-offs that you're not making - say moving to a townhouse, cutting extracurriculars, etc.. One of my daughter's friend's families just decided to consolidate households with her grandparents to increase what they could save while also paying private school tuition. You're spending over $1,000 per month on extra activities between music lessons, camps, and extracurriculars. Those are all good things to spend money on, but it's a significant discretionary expenditure nonetheless. The same with the $300/month for house cleaners.

You need to decide what your priorities are and plan from there. Saving for retirement and college would be top of the list for me. Your child's life options will be far more limited by significant college debt than by going to a good-but-not-great public high school.

I understand your frustration with the public school, but one AP per year in 9th and 10th is not a disaster, nor a sign of a really terrible school. Also, think of what you could do to supplement outside of school with even a portion of what you're currently spending on tuition. Your kids could work with tutors to get ahead, take additional enrichment classes, etc., for far less than you're currently paying in tuition.

If the current public school is really a complete no-go for you, then you're either looking at moving or cutting some of the things that you consider nonnegotiable.

I don’t want to have to arrange and pay for enrichment; the most precious commodity is time and my child is spending 5 out 7 hrs in school twiddling their thumbs. They shouldn’t be reading books aloud or doing homework in class; there should be solid instruction for at least half the freaking day. We get that private school; we didn’t at our public. If you know of a good public with $1.7M houses I’m all ears. I’ll happily take a $1.2M house and renovate it, but the market has gone off the rails.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are some houses for sale in the Longfellow MS draw area that are less that 1.6 for a 4 bedroom. I thought my DS's gifted education at Longfellow was excellent (especially in Math). It's not that far from Capital Hill especially if your DH and you are commuting together (can take 66 for free).

I looked at those houses, and every one is on a busy road or backs to a freeway or are a teardown.

Wow, for Mclean high school, even under $2M you have the same problem OR it's an obvious flip.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd invest the money instead. Each kids would have 3-5 million by the time the are 30. Instead, their parents paid for private school and expect them to have great careers. What a pressure on the kids.

What are you talking about $200k invested for 15 years only gets to $750k

Even 25 years only gets to $1.7M at 8% return which is crazy optimistic.

People with elite educations on this board pull in $700k/year, vs public school strivers who land a GS15 at $176k.

Yeah it’s a lot of pressure, but the world is turning into a tale of two cities. Places like Montana are expensive now.

First of all, plenty of high earners went to public schools. Second, no one needs to make $700k to be happy. Life is not a race and people don’t need to ski in Vale to be happy.

OP—having three kids in private is tough. I hate to say it but your choice to have three kids limits your options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd invest the money instead. Each kids would have 3-5 million by the time the are 30. Instead, their parents paid for private school and expect them to have great careers. What a pressure on the kids.

What are you talking about $200k invested for 15 years only gets to $750k

Even 25 years only gets to $1.7M at 8% return which is crazy optimistic.

People with elite educations on this board pull in $700k/year, vs public school strivers who land a GS15 at $176k.

Yeah it’s a lot of pressure, but the world is turning into a tale of two cities. Places like Montana are expensive now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are running up against the unfortunate reality that you can't afford everything, even if they're all good things. And it sucks and it's not fair, but it is what it is.

I suspect most on here planning to put three kids through private school do indeed make more than you or gets financial support from family (usually grandparents) or financial aid.

Those at your income level have often made significant trade-offs that you're not making - say moving to a townhouse, cutting extracurriculars, etc.. One of my daughter's friend's families just decided to consolidate households with her grandparents to increase what they could save while also paying private school tuition. You're spending over $1,000 per month on extra activities between music lessons, camps, and extracurriculars. Those are all good things to spend money on, but it's a significant discretionary expenditure nonetheless. The same with the $300/month for house cleaners.

You need to decide what your priorities are and plan from there. Saving for retirement and college would be top of the list for me. Your child's life options will be far more limited by significant college debt than by going to a good-but-not-great public high school.

I understand your frustration with the public school, but one AP per year in 9th and 10th is not a disaster, nor a sign of a really terrible school. Also, think of what you could do to supplement outside of school with even a portion of what you're currently spending on tuition. Your kids could work with tutors to get ahead, take additional enrichment classes, etc., for far less than you're currently paying in tuition.

If the current public school is really a complete no-go for you, then you're either looking at moving or cutting some of the things that you consider nonnegotiable.

I don’t want to have to arrange and pay for enrichment; the most precious commodity is time and my child is spending 5 out 7 hrs in school twiddling their thumbs. They shouldn’t be reading books aloud or doing homework in class; there should be solid instruction for at least half the freaking day. We get that private school; we didn’t at our public. If you know of a good public with $1.7M houses I’m all ears. I’ll happily take a $1.2M house and renovate it, but the market has gone off the rails.

Anonymous wrote:You are running up against the unfortunate reality that you can't afford everything, even if they're all good things. And it sucks and it's not fair, but it is what it is.

I suspect most on here planning to put three kids through private school do indeed make more than you or gets financial support from family (usually grandparents) or financial aid.

Those at your income level have often made significant trade-offs that you're not making - say moving to a townhouse, cutting extracurriculars, etc.. One of my daughter's friend's families just decided to consolidate households with her grandparents to increase what they could save while also paying private school tuition. You're spending over $1,000 per month on extra activities between music lessons, camps, and extracurriculars. Those are all good things to spend money on, but it's a significant discretionary expenditure nonetheless. The same with the $300/month for house cleaners.

You need to decide what your priorities are and plan from there. Saving for retirement and college would be top of the list for me. Your child's life options will be far more limited by significant college debt than by going to a good-but-not-great public high school.

I understand your frustration with the public school, but one AP per year in 9th and 10th is not a disaster, nor a sign of a really terrible school. Also, think of what you could do to supplement outside of school with even a portion of what you're currently spending on tuition. Your kids could work with tutors to get ahead, take additional enrichment classes, etc., for far less than you're currently paying in tuition.

If the current public school is really a complete no-go for you, then you're either looking at moving or cutting some of the things that you consider nonnegotiable.