Importance of early education - Real Mum story on MoM

Hi MoMs,

I need your help! My two girls are in Kindy at the moment but graduate to Preschool next year. I’m starting to make applications to primary school for them to guarantee them a place….there’s long waiting lists for good schools around us so I need to do it early. But….and here’s my problem. I’m having a huge clash with my mother and grandmother over where I should send them. It’s driving me insane. I never asked for anyone’s opinion but the advice seemed to come anyway. My grandmother says public school…so financially i have less to worry about. But my mother and I say Private school…as both myself and my sister went to the local private school. Yes, its more money. But by attending the private school they will attend church, have better sport choices, chances to travel and be offered chances to win scholarships through out their education. I want my girls to attend the school i attended…even if financially i would have more commitments. But at the same time i don’t want my family to lose it over the choice i make. Help!

Posted by ReLAYTable, 24th August 2013

5 Comments

- - vidald79 said
  - 23 Feb 2014
    4:38 pm
I went to all state schools as a younger child but then a private school for highschool, my three younger brothers have gone right through in a private school. I’ve taken my two soon to be three children from a state school to a private. My choice is not about public vs private, mine was about which school in our area is the right fit. It just so happened that the state schools in our area weren’t as good and the private one we noticed a huge difference within 3 weeks. Money is a bit tight to send them there but as least they give us family discounts and for us it’s worth every cent. It really isn’t your grandmothers business where they go – it should be about if the child is happy and progressing.
- mom57522 replied
  
  06 Jan 2015 , 11:02 pm
  I agree about it being the right fit, as to what school.
- - beksie said
  - 27 Aug 2013
    11:10 am
My eldest is currently at a Private school but started in a public. The change mostly because we moved and the public school we are currently in catchment is just not a viable choice for us!!! Mind you, the public he was initially at was a lovely little school.

I admit, I’m LOVING the current school more though – the environment is just amazing. But my advice would be – physically visit all the schools you are interested in. Talk to the staff. You will get an idea fairly quickly of whether you suit each other or not. I dare say there will even be PRIVATE schools you might not quite mesh naturally with just as easily as public ones.

Ask about P&Cs. If the school has a strong P&C, it is evidence of much positive parent, family and friend involvement, which, in my opinion, adds immensely to the overall rounded character of the school and its environment. Also means that if there is an issue later, it’s not just YOU against the administrators.

When it comes down to it, it’s YOUR choice. But being able to say to mum and grandma that ‘this is what I’ve done hence the decision I’ve made is this’ has to go a fair way to getting them off your back, too.

All the best!!

- - nicole_pfeiffer said
  - 24 Aug 2013
    2:48 pm
I am really grateful to live in the country, our kindy and school are fabulous. You will make the right decision for yourself and you children My son starts Kindy next year and I am so excited and so nervous too, my first baby is growing up.

- - m.foley said
  - 24 Aug 2013
    2:30 pm
This is just your decision, do what you feel is right. I am in the same position torn between public and private, my boy is enrolled at private school, but will only send him if Not happy with the public schools in my area. It’s the religion that puts me off private, it’s a Christian college. Good luck, it’s a hard choice.