In my world order prior to having kids, I had always envisioned my child going to private school. I went to private schools, and I think I turned out none too shabby. The Munchkin currently attends a private preschool, and I like it just fine. The natural progression was going to be private kindergarten and so on and so forth.
Until I looked at tuition.
Now, his preschool is pricey enough and I sometimes wonder if I am being overcharged. Not that they don’t do a good job, but I find myself thinking blasphemous thoughts such as, hmmmm, exactly how expensive is that construction paper? And why is it that I am asked to make playdoh for the class when I am paying upwards of three hundred dollars a month? Don’t even get me started on the fundraisers.
Some people argue that a good education is priceless. That no amount of money is too much to ensure that your child is taught solid fundamentals, which can do nothing but contribute towards success later in life.
Well, private schools have heard those people loud and clear.
When I checked into how much it would be for my son to continue at his current school for kindergarten, the price jumped to a whopping $550. A month. My heart seemed to stop when the secretary told me the amount, and I bet they have a defibrillator in the office ready for people like me. You know, cheap-asses who don’t give a crap about their child’s education. I tried to hide my shock, but I could see the pitying look in her eyes.
I do care about the education my son receives. I care a lot. But do I care 55o dollars a month care? I’m not sure.
Over the course of nine years at that school, I would be spending over $45,000 for an elementary school education! That is equal to the tuition to some four year universities! And in a lot of cases, such as the excellent UC Berkeley, a heck of a lot more. That isn’t even taking into account the tuition for four years at the high school level, which I shudder to even think about.
The public school district we live in happens to be well above average, with test scores that place most of them in the top 10 percent of all schools in our state. If they weren’t so fabulous, I don’t think I would have a choice in the matter. If the schools were no good then I would almost feel forced to send the Munchkin to private.
But I do have a choice, and I am seriously leaning towards saving that five hundred bucks or so a month and saving part of it towards his college education, part of it towards extracurricular classes and activities, and perhaps the tiniest bit towards a couple of new pair of shoes.
For me.
Because with the stress of all this potentially life-altering decision making, I deserve them, don’t you think?
