any housewives out there?

DrivingMissDaisy

I would rather be home as well and let the Mrs be the sole provider, but still a few years till she reaches the level of income to sustain a single income household. In the meantime, the kids will be little older so even better for me.

fred246

We have a private school near us that people who want to say that they paid for private education send their children to. It is famous for its materialistic pupils. My wife's friend has a daughter who goes there and they all compete for the most expensive handbags & makeup etc. My wife is always telling me the latest story. Their daughter is always ranting and raving that her possessions aren't the right brand or expensive enough. We imagine that must be working mothers who give their children money instead of their time.

Poor_Single_lady

i grew up poor- with my mums time in the beginning and with less of it later on. I love love love expensive handbags and would never have turned one down.

Poor kids aren't this humble respectful group, and I don't think whether mums work makes as much difference as people are making out.

FBaby

Fred you have no idea really just making an assumption to match your vision. My kids have both gone to the average local schools as have many of the kids of my professional friends. Everyone of my friends' kids will off to Uni.

I know three kids who have gone to one of those private by name only schools. One is a professional and has always worked, the other two have always been sahm.

Who knows what the true picture nationally looks like.

maman

fred246 wrote: »

We have a private school near us that people who want to say that they paid for private education send their children to. It is famous for its materialistic pupils. My wife's friend has a daughter who goes there and they all compete for the most expensive handbags & makeup etc. My wife is always telling me the latest story. Their daughter is always ranting and raving that her possessions aren't the right brand or expensive enough. We imagine that must be working mothers who give their children money instead of their time.

That's possible but that's not the conclusion I would jump too.


As well as independent schools in my area we also have small rural schools in pretty commuter villages ringing the town. Many families choose to send their children to these. They don't live in catchment but they have the time, resources and transport to take their children there. It's what keeps these schools open. When you drive towards the town at around 3 p.m. there is a constant stream of yummy mummies in 4x4s all setting out in the opposite direction to collect their offspring. These mums don't work, they spend their time shopping and lunching and having coffee with friends. Some have had a reasonable job pre-children but now they live off the income of wealthy partners.


That's their money and their choice.


What makes me angry is that this sort of parental preference in choosing schools isn't open to all parents who don't have time or transport to take their children there. Also this 'brain drain' lowers the ability range in town schools and falsely inflates the achievements of the rural ones.


Jumps down off soapbox to have lunch.:o

happyandcontented

maman wrote: »

That's possible but that's not the conclusion I would jump too.


As well as independent schools in my area we also have small rural schools in pretty commuter villages ringing the town. Many families choose to send their children to these. They don't live in catchment but they have the time, resources and transport to take their children there. It's what keeps these schools open. When you drive towards the town at around 3 p.m. there is a constant stream of yummy mummies in 4x4s all setting out in the opposite direction to collect their offspring. These mums don't work, they spend their time shopping and lunching and having coffee with friends. Some have had a reasonable job pre-children but now they live off the income of wealthy partners.


That's their money and their choice.


What makes me angry is that this sort of parental preference in choosing schools isn't open to all parents who don't have time or transport to take their children there. Also this 'brain drain' lowers the ability range in town schools and falsely inflates the achievements of the rural ones.


Jumps down off soapbox to have lunch.:o

I am not quite sure what your point is here. Schools admit in strict criteria order, catchment is only one of them, once the criteria have been worked through then anyone (who wasn't covered by a criterion already) can apply if they have places remaining.

So, the differentiator ( after the criteria which do apply to all) between the rural schools and others is purely time and money in the final analysis, not the fact that the same preferences don't apply to all, they do, but some are better placed by dint of personal circumstance to take advantage of a school place in a rural community than others.

I don't see an issue with that. As you say, it keeps those schools open and it keeps that option open for lower-income families who do live in catchment.

I am not sure what your point is re 'brain drain' either unless you are suggesting that the affluent families have brighter children? Or children with more involved/interested families?

Re the 'yummy mummies,' a family unit is entitled to arrange their earning power in the most family-friendly way and to use that time and money to benefit their children.
,

Red-Squirrel_2

fred246 wrote: »

We have a private school near us that people who want to say that they paid for private education send their children to. It is famous for its materialistic pupils. My wife's friend has a daughter who goes there and they all compete for the most expensive handbags & makeup etc. My wife is always telling me the latest story. Their daughter is always ranting and raving that her possessions aren't the right brand or expensive enough. We imagine that must be working mothers who give their children money instead of their time.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Yes that's very representative of your average working parent!

Your wife doesn't sound like much of a friend.

getmore4less

maman wrote: »

That's possible but that's not the conclusion I would jump too.


As well as independent schools in my area we also have small rural schools in pretty commuter villages ringing the town. Many families choose to send their children to these. They don't live in catchment but they have the time, resources and transport to take their children there. It's what keeps these schools open. When you drive towards the town at around 3 p.m. there is a constant stream of yummy mummies in 4x4s all setting out in the opposite direction to collect their offspring. These mums don't work, they spend their time shopping and lunching and having coffee with friends. Some have had a reasonable job pre-children but now they live off the income of wealthy partners.


That's their money and their choice.


What makes me angry is that this sort of parental preference in choosing schools isn't open to all parents who don't have time or transport to take their children there. Also this 'brain drain' lowers the ability range in town schools and falsely inflates the achievements of the rural ones.


Jumps down off soapbox to have lunch.:o

Do you realise what you are saying.

if there is a brain drain then you are saying rich parents have smarter kids.

the alternative, stop the brain drain, close the rural schools not enough kids and then have to ship the rural kids to the town schools.

maman

happyandcontented wrote: »

I am not quite sure what your point is here. Schools admit in strict criteria order, catchment is only one of them, once the criteria have been worked through then anyone (who wasn't covered by a criterion already) can apply if they have places remaining.

happyandcontented wrote: »

I don't see an issue with that. As you say, it keeps those schools open and it keeps that option open for lower-income families who do live in catchment.

Of course, these schools apply admission criteria but they've raised admission numbers and extended to well in excess of anything the village population would support. These are dormitory villages for commuters in the main. Any tiny pockets of former social housing have long been sold. There are very, very few local village children other than those that live in the now tarted up old farmworkers' cottages.

happyandcontented wrote: »

So, the differentiator ( after the criteria which do apply to all) between the rural schools and others is purely time and money in the final analysis, not the fact that the same preferences don't apply to all, they do, but some are better placed by dint of personal circumstance to take advantage of a school place in a rural community than others.

happyandcontented wrote: »

Re the 'yummy mummies,' a family unit is entitled to arrange their earning power in the most family-friendly way and to use that time and money to benefit their children.

Exactly so. When Parental Preference was introduced it favours the financially better off. The time rich/cash poor can't really take advantage as they may not afford a car and public transport, where it exists, is expensive.

happyandcontented wrote: »

I am not sure what your point is re 'brain drain' either unless you are suggesting that the affluent families have brighter children? Or children with more involved/interested families?.

Probably a bit of both. I know I'm generalising here but often better paid individuals have a better educational background. This is inherited by children not only innately but in their parents' attitude to learning/education. It also has the advantage of not only paying for transport etc. but for private tutors.


While I would defend the right of any individual parent to do what they consider best for their own child, governments have a duty to provide the best education possible for all children.

happyandcontented

There really isn't much Parental Preference now, you are either; a looked after child, have an EHCP, in the catchment, have a sibling in the school, and then, if there are places left PP will kick in. Those places are open to anyone, and I do agree, those with time and money are best placed to take advantage, but that is the same with everything.