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from clark Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 20:34 (Agree/Disagree?) I have been out of Tf about 8 yrs and would say that if at all possible, go the private school route. Even if sacrifices have to be made, it is worth it. I have a daughter in a small conservative baptist school in 4th grade and has been since K4 and I love it. It is far more religious than I personally agree with but I appreciate that for my daughter, she has very little destractions. I think the key either way is STAY VERY INVOLVED. Once you get passed the fact that you are at least 15 years younger than all the other mothers, it's not that bad. Meet all her class mates and friends. Talk to the teachers A LOT.(and the kids.) Read EVERY slip of paper they bring home. Go to the games. If you can, stop by for lunch. Watch your kid from a distance without her knowing, like be there early to pick'm up. Watch who she hangs out with and were the clique's are and see how she is treated and treats others. And ask'm about the other kids, esp the ones you are not sure of. Kids are brutally honest, it's wonderful. Good luck. (reply to this comment)

from frisbee Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 17:08 (Agree/Disagree?) But you are right not to trust just anyone i have heard so many horror stories both in and out of TF and its not easy so i think if you have the chance try to stay home with them for as long as you can and do the research neccessary. (reply to this comment)

from frisbee Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 17:06 (Agree/Disagree?) For those of us not financially able to put our kids through private school we have no choice. I moved away from the city because in this particular city we have a very good public school system. But I had to move in order for my child to attend this school. But if you have the option go for Private. However my child is in K so this is her first year and we havnt had any problems its a really great school i have no complaints. (reply to this comment)

from Me Sunday, September 15, 2002 - 13:38 (Agree/Disagree?) I have a 5 year old who I just put in public school. I had her in a private preschool for a year and a half before this. I would have kept her in the private school but it just cost waaay to much and was going up in price constantly. We decided to enroll her in public school and give it a try. Both of us work fulltime so she is in an after-school daycare program--another part of the whole experience that I was leary about. It has now been about 2 weeks and everything has worked out perfectly! I have been pleasantly surprized with both the school and the onsite daycare. I loved the teachers at her private school, but for the amount that we were paying it just wasn't worth it. Of course its only been 2 weeks, but so far we are very happy with everything. (reply to this comment)

From faeriraven Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 16:01 (Agree/Disagree?) I too just started my 5 yr old son in Kindergarten here in the states. In the area that I live in he goes to an exemplary school which is a highly recommended school so I'm not too worried about him. If I were living anywhere else in the city and the school wasn't up to standard or not recognized, I would move just so that he could go to a better school. He's been going to a daycare since he was 2, and has been there ever since, and the same daycare now picks up and takes care of him after school as well so my situation is pretty easy. His teachers are great and so far it's been going good. He loves it! I'm a single mom and although I'd love to be able to put him in 'private school', it's just not an option for me, it is very expensive, but for now I'm pretty content with the choice I made, although at first I was skeptical as I never went to school myself, there's so many questions and little things that most people would know about when putting their kids in school for the first time, I must have looked pretty stupid asking all these simple questions, but I just didn't know what the procedures were. I think I was more worried @ him starting school then he was, ha.(reply to this comment)

From Jerseygirl Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 16:41 (Agree/Disagree?) Faer,I hear ya. The hardest part is not having the people around who would normally help with this process ie. mothers or friends who have done it already.When my first daughter started kindergarten I was absolutely clueless.Now my son is going to preschool and I have to face all these snobby older moms who "have it all together" and act as tho if you arnt overweight and perfect you must be a bad mother--Whatever!anyways, I can so relate.(reply to this comment)

From katrina Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 16:12 (Agree/Disagree?) Yeah, that was me too. "Uh, where do we do drop off and pick up? What kind of lunch is required?" And my favourite "No, I'm not her sister, I'm her mother." This is our second year in private school and I think that unless we move we might have to keep her there. Our city has the worst rated school district for large cities in the US. Thankfully private schools here are pretty affordable and we're also looking into the new voucher program that is being tested around the country. (reply to this comment)

from Jerseygirl Friday, September 13, 2002 - 09:52 (Agree/Disagree?) Public schools are fine when your kids are relatively young.Private school is damn expensive and, though not always the case, it is often no better.It really all depends on the area and school.My kids are in public right now but honestly I hope they aren't by the time they hit high school--single sex education all the way!!!lol. Anyways, Good luck! (reply to this comment)

From JoeH Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 17:56 (Agree/Disagree?) deprive your girls of sex while they're in high school cause they can probably live without it, but for the love of god don't send your boys to an all boys school, that's cruel!(reply to this comment)

From Jules Saturday, September 14, 2002, 08:20 (Agree/Disagree?) I don't have any children, but I agree with Jerseygirl on this one. I have a sister who is 15 and lives with my FM parents. (My parents have finally put all the children at home with them in school). In public school, and this was junior high, it was extremely stressful for her. She is a brilliant kid, and wants to be a lawyer when she grows up, but in public school she had to deal with issues like hardcore drugs, sex, friends dealing with severe abuse at home, drinking, gangs, crime and violence that it was impossible for her to focus on learning at all. She went from a happy, upbeat kid to being severely depressed and withdrawn. It got so bad that I offered to take custody of her, just to remove her from the whole environment. My parents, with help from my grandparents, put her into a private (buddhist) school last year, and the change in her was incredible. The cost is borne partly by the school (she has a partial scholarship) partly by my parents, my grandparents and she has a part time job to pay for the rest herself. She is a kid again, and loves learning, school and her new friends. It is really a joy to see her so happy and with the chance to achieve her dreams.(reply to this comment)

From cm Wednesday, September 18, 2002, 16:34 (Agree/Disagree?) The problem is that (from my experience) our parents are living in lower-lower middle class areas whose schools are hotbeds of drugs and crime. The schools that my sibling are going to are just terrible. I have one sister, 13, who just moved to Canada where the schools are a little better and it has had a marked change in her behaviour. (reply to this comment)

from Andrew Friday, September 13, 2002 - 03:21