Monday, August 15, 2011

The Great Private School Debate ~ Update

You may remember that a few months back I was struggling with some decisions regarding schooling for our daughter.  You can read my post about it here.  Now that school is starting up here next week (yikes!) I've had a lot of people asking me what we decided.  So...here's my big update...we are not sending our daughter to private school this year.  She'll be at the same public school that she went to last year only in a different building due to the way they have the grades divided.  I still want her to attend a private school eventually, but thanks to a lot of support from friends and family I've realized that it's okay to take it on a year by year basis.  And this year, it didn't work out.  We will definitely be looking into ways to make it happen next year, but for now, I am at peace.  I can't say that I felt that way last week, but today I feel great about it, I really do.  Here's the thing...I kept thinking that if I had faith then everything would work out the way I had planned.  Only thing is, it worked out the way He had planned...you know?   So how can I not feel good about that?  Who am I to say that this school isn't the right place for her when everything is pointing to the fact that it is.  I had a moment (okay, like an hour) this week when I went back to my old ways of thinking that I was right when I got her class list and saw that there were 3 girls in her class with the same first name as her.  Granted it's a common name, but she was the only one in her entire grade last year at her old building.  So, I had a little freak out where I thought, "what the heck?  Why is this happening, it's not perfect like I planned!"  But I have heard from a couple of people now what a great teacher she has and I realize that in the scheme of things this name thing is completely insignificant.  Just another way where I was thinking all wrong.  I mean, she could be in class with these other girls for a reason.  I mean, she is in class with them for a reason.  See, I have control issues...I'm working on it though!  I really am looking forward to having her at this school this year.  I know she will do great, and I hope she makes some sweet little friends.

Some of you may also know that along with our great private school debate went the debate on whether or not to send our son to kindergarten this year.  I know, I usually don't talk about it because people are so opinionated on the subject and can't seem to keep their opinions to themselves!   Our son has a September birthday.  He will most likely be the youngest kid in his class.  He is my baby.  I want him to succeed.  Of course this is a big decision!  But, here's the thing...it's just kindergarten!  It's not life or death.  If he's not ready for first grade at the end of this year he can repeat kindergarten.  Gasp!  Seriously people, our school district is so big and it's so common now that I'm not even worried about it.  The thing I was worried about?  What you guys would think.  How stupid is that?  I mean, here I am an adult making my own decisions that make sense for my family and my children and I'm thinking about what other people are going to say...I'm right back in junior high.  Not a good place to put yourself.  So, I'm putting it out there.  I know some of you will think we are crazy.  That we are harming our son somehow, but I know him and I am completely at peace about the fact that he is ready.  He is.  He went to preschool, he knows how to make friends, follow directions, count, write his name, say and recognize his abc's, and most of all he's so excited about school.  Why would I not send him?  What does he have to lose?  Another year at preschool doing the same exact things only I'd be paying a huge chunk of money for it?  I am fully prepared to pull him out of school if it doesn't work out.  And I'm prepared to hold him back next year so that he'll be on track with his peers.  But if there's one thing I've learned from all of this...it's not to plan too far ahead.  Everything can change in the course of a year, so I'm taking it one day at a time.  I literally have no idea where my kids will be going to school after this year, and I'm okay with that.  It's not my plan that I'm trying to follow anyway.  Oh, and just this weekend I found out that my son will only have 17 students in his class (unheard of around our district) and a little girl that he randomly met at the park the other day just so happens to be in his class.  I don't think God could have made it any more clear to me that this is where my son is supposed to be.

I hope this clarifies things for anyone that was wondering what the heck we were doing!  I had my moments this summer where I was feeling that way too!  We are really happy about the way things ended up and I'm excited to go meet their teachers next week.  I'm not excited about summer being over though.  How did it go by so fast?!?

4 comments:

  1. I am doing the same thing with my middle daughter Emma. Well kinda. We homeschool and was trying to decide if I should start her in kindergarten. She turns 5 in January. I decided to start her for all the same reasons. She is so excited and if she needs another year next year who cares!

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  2. my lenzi won't be 5 until oct 15 and she did preschool at a private school last year, because I knew she was ready. this year we decided to go forth with kindergarten this year rather than repeat pre-k. at least kindergarten is foundational learning, not mostly social skilks like pre-k. I went through some serious panic modes a few weeks ago when I finally realized that I (we) know what is best for our kids.

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  3. You are an amazing woman and I'm so glad I know you. Thanks for not being perfect! Jen

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  4. Glad you feel at peace with your decision. You're right....it's all in God's hands anyway :)

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